Federalist Files No. 10 and 51

Fed #10 - Madison states his belief that a well-constructed government would halt the chaos of "factions", or political parties. A government with a sturdy foundation would have a "tendency to break and control the violence of faction" (Madison). Madison describes two potential ways to remove these factions: 1) Eliminate the liberty serving as the cornerstone to our existence 2) "...Giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests". Considering that the majority of our population would probably be in chaos when given these choices, Madison realizes that although you can not stop a faction, you can control its effects or remove the roots altogether. How can you remove the initial roots of these factions? It is impossible. Naturally, society has "A zeal for different opinions concerning religion, concerning government, and many other points...". He makes the inference that "...the causes of faction cannot be removed, and that the only relief is to be sought in the means of controlling its effects." He explains that these effects are controlled with more efficiency in larger societies with representative forms of government as opposed to concise societies with popular governments. Factions would not expand and gain power in these larger societies.

Fed #51 - Madison discusses Montesquieu's concept of "checks and balances", specifying our nation will be distributed into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The division's "constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other...". Each branch becomes independent. Madison writes: "In order to lay a due foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is...essential to the preservation of liberty, it is evident that each department should have a will of its own...". Not one branch can grow too drastically. Departments have their own will and constitutional intentions. One branch does not chose the people running in another branch. These three branches put an overall check on the government's power as a whole. The checks control the government. The government is responsible for controlling the governed and itself. Citizens can stop the government if necessary. This system allows the people to voice their concerns and opinions but also grants the government authority. Our Constitution arranges offices to check one another. This is why today our Congress consists of 1) House of Representative and 2) the Senate. These two elements are crucial to our nation's well-being. "Checks and balances" are an essential component to the engine operating our functioning government.