Republic: Factions Vs. Direct Democracy

The creation of a republic serves as a control for the effects of factions. Factions emerge when groups of people feel their ideas are not being heard and accounted for in government. Madison describes these groups as having interests against the interests of the whole country. The design of a republic, especially the one created in the Constitution, encourages representatives from various interest groups to have a voice in lawmaking. Therefore, controlling factions is a matter of having elected officials to represent different groups. This is more effective than a direct democracy, in which the people who make up a faction would be able to directly influence government. Representation dilutes factions. Elected officials are less likely to negatively impact legislation due to their identification with factions because it simply is not possible for them to single-handedly pass a law. Given the idea that factions cannot be destroyed without also destroying liberty, the best way to control them is to allow the republican form of government to vote them out. Diversity …show more content…
Majority factions, on the other hand, are more dangerous – they have already gained control of a majority of people and thus can more easily abuse power for their own self-interest. Minority factions, such as a group fighting for a local issue, are unlikely to succeed in Congress. These groups lack the backing necessary to pass a piece of legislation. Consider the Republican party of today, though; it is, in essence, a majority faction in Congress. Therefore, the House and Senate can theoretically pass laws in the interests of the Republican party. With President Obama in office, he could veto laws to control this faction. Once Donald Trump takes office, however, the party will have few restrictions. The only way to control the party in this case will be to change individual members’ opinions until they lose the