#10
In the U.S., there have always been political factions. A major concern throughout United States history is that the factions will not be able to represent and benefit the people properly. Madison says, "It must be confessed that in this, as in most other cases, there is a mean, on both sides of which inconveniences will be found to lie. By enlarging too much the number of electors, you render the representatives too little acquainted with all their local circumstances and lesser interests; as by reducing it too much, you render him unduly attached to these, and too little fit to comprehend and pursue great and national objects. The federal Constitution forms a happy combination in this respect; the great and aggregate interests being referred to the national, the local and particular to the State legislatures." What Madison is saying here is that to have a proper representation of the people, the number of representatives must be properly balanced, so that they fight for their local voter's ideals, but are not too focused on it to hinder progress. He says that the Constitution has found that proper balance.
"The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular States, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other States. A religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the Confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it must secure the national councils against any danger from that source. A rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the Union than a particular member of it; in the same proportion as such a malady is more likely to taint a particular county or district, than an entire State." Another reason Madison gives for the effectiveness of the Constitution is the fact that the United States are divided up and each State is different and has different interests. This helps to keep diversity in they country and makes it so there is no one majority that has massive power.
#51
The U.S. government is divided up into many different branches, each of which have a set set job and responsibility. What makes this government so secure is that each of these branches balance each other out. One cannot gain power over the others and control the whole government.
"In a single republic, all the power surrendered by the people is submitted to the administration of a single government; and the usurpations are guarded against by a division of the government into distinct and separate departments. In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself." Madison writes that because of these divisions of power, the people have multiple places where their rights are protected. The government's job is to protect the rights of the people, and that includes from themselves
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