Federalist No. 10 Analysis

Great Essays
When James Madison outlines the dangers of faction in Federalist No. 10, he defines faction as “a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or minority of the whole, who are united...by some common...interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens.” 1 This wording is critical for examining both the goals and pivotal ideas of the federalist movement. At first glance, this definition seems to reflect the very real fear of mob uprising. Certainly, it’s tone insinuates an image of mob citizenry diametrically opposed to a smaller elite. However, although this image may have captured this political component of the United States in November 1787, a closer inspection yields a less controversial interpretation. The fact that Madison includes the word “minority” in this definition of faction shifts the focus away from the idea that the majority itself is fearsome and focuses on the dangerous implications of an ideology shared within an insular group. Thus, the framers …show more content…
Since these solutions were found to be unreasonable by the framers, the only recourse for the Federalists was to remediate the problems caused by faction.
The first way that the framers sought to build safeguards against faction into the constitution is through the prevention of majority. This idea of tyranny of the majority is distinct from the fear of a mob uprising in that tyranny of the majority occurs through politically legitimate channels.2 Essentially, if the political system is not set up to limit majorities, those with similar ideas and interests can form groups that overwhelm minority interest groups.1 Therefore, tyranny of the majority truly reflects a concern in how the high minded ideal of representation can also undermine

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Federalist No. 51 Summary

    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Madison discusses that men are not perfect and that it may be assumed that as men we may act greedily and act in a way that benefits ourselves rather than society as a whole. “But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.”…

    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the first chapter of William E. Hudson’s book American Democracy in Peril, Hudson discusses the reasoning and application of the separation of powers stemmed from the Constitution, and the impact it has had as well as the failures that came as a consequence of it. Due to the changing meaning of the Jeffersonian model, one of the failures Hudson argues is that the separation of powers in a partisan, party-based system falls apart once both parties are to blame. It is also argued that the same system creates a political minority “biased against change” to protect against the supposed tyranny of the majority. Hudson ends by making a case in favor of a change in government towards the form of a parliament for the sake of accountability and protection…

    • 1022 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Federalist Paper number ten was written by James Madison to guard against the issues of factions. In any society there will be factions, people with different ideals, religions, and points of view. In a republic this creates the problem of the mob rule, where only to opinion of the majority matters and the rights of the smaller groups are not protected. This is similar to Federalist Paper number nine in which he addressed the destructive role of a faction in breaking apart the republic.…

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    In the essay Federalist No. 69, Alexander Hamilton addresses the people off New York, and requests that the president would be a selective ruler he outlines what the presidents powers should be. His introduction was very strong and made the reader want to hear his points. Alexander Hamilton discusses the character of the executive branch by comparison to the king of Great Britain and state governors. He introduced to the reader that the president would be elected for a term of four years; he would be suitable for re-election, and would not have the life tenure of a traditional ruler. The president would be liable to impeachment, trial, and removal from office upon being found guilty of disloyalty, subornation, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    First Short Essay One thing was clear during the convention of 1787, there were an astonishing number of viewpoints that clashed wherever they could. The main topic for debate was the distribution of control. Who would make the decisions for the people the state government or national government? The worry was that if the state government had primary control over the people's interests, who would police them? The Federalists wanted to make sure that the state government officials did not influence political policy to further their own interests.…

    • 1282 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Federalist No. 13 Dbq

    • 604 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Federalist No. 10 responds to the Antifederalists argument that a “large republic” cannot long survive. Madison set out the task of devising a republic in which a majority of citizens will be unable to tyrannize the minority. Madison says the rotten apple is factions. Factions are defined as a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.…

    • 604 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The emotional and dramatic debates of 1787 initiated an event turning change in the structure of the United States government. The passion of James Madison’s ambition to create an equally powered federal government through the division of government branches have set foot to what the modernized American system is seen today. Rakove elaborates in great detail of the trials and errors which the delegates of the 1787 Convention had to endure. However, without the strenuous debates, contemplating opinions, and theoretical views of the Virginia Plan delegates against the New Jersey Plan delegates, the American nation would fail to stand on the strong values of equal government power. From the various attempts to create an organized federal government power and Constitution, the intentions of the delegates of the 1787 Convention were centered upon the values of theory and philosophy rather than…

    • 1142 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    For the primary sources federalist No.51 and federalist No.10, there's differences and similarities. They also include information that evaluates each other. To know what it is, that is included in the the primary sources it has to be explained. To begin with, the similarities of the primary sources federalist papers No.51 and 10 is that they both were written from the same person, which was James Madison. In the federalist paper No.51 it states that, “it was published under the pen name publius” and so was federalist No.10.…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Reaching a compromise is important so that all factions have their ideals implemented. Although this often results in a status quo bias, it impedes majority and minority tyranny from developing. Government promotes compromise between the majority and minority groups. The problem of factions is solved by forcing factions to compete with each other. Fragmented democratic institutions are set­up to allow federal laws to be passed.…

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    James Madison and Alexis de Tocqueville are both giants in American political theory and both have deliberated extensively on the tyranny of the majority in democratic societies. Since both are from different eras, the way each of them talk about the problem is framed in different terms and different contexts. Madison offers a solution to a perceived problem, and Tocqueville observes and critiques the solution. In the many Federalist Papers Madison published on the issue, there is one solution that is most conductive to reducing the powers of the tyranny of the majority, and this is solution is the checks and balances between the separate branches of government and between the federal and state governments. Tocqueville’s assessment of this attempted restraint is poor, he sees the government as becoming increasingly centralized in power and state and local governments losing their prestige and influence.…

    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Federalists’ attempt to stifle the volatile passions of the public in the federal institutions is an example which will no doubt soon find its way into states, counties, and townships. The constitutional doctrine of placing faith in structures rather than people will result in a mass erosion of citizens’ power. Tocqueville explains this saying, “left to themselves, the institutions of the township can scarcely struggle against an enterprising and strong government…it is easy to destroy it” (Tocqueville, 56). But while the constitutional system makes for good government it does not make for good citizens. Had the Federalists kept the people “strong and independent, they fear partitioning social power and exposing the state to anarchy.…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Writing Sample (synthesis essay of two works): Democracy is glorified for its ability to bring power to the people and is viewed as a source of freedom and liberty; unfortunately, that is not the case. In fact, all that is accomplished from this abstract idea is the reality of stagnation in government resulting in a lack of choice and oppression of citizens. Rather than providing a voice for individuals, the democratic process supports authority and their manipulation by placing them in the limelight and encouraging the spread of falsified ideas and brainwashing. In both Patrick Henry’s “Speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention” and Dalton Trumbo’s novel, Johnny Got His Gun, the supposed values of democracy are deconstructed and put through the…

    • 1009 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    There was no necessity in taking in mind what the citizens thought. Fedralists wanted a nation similar to the British government. They also thought that the Constitution was enough to outline Americans rights and there was no need for the Bill of rights. In the essay, “The Fears of the Federalists”, the author further explains the way of thinking of this…

    • 902 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Among many thing that concerned James Madison (1751- 1836) and other protagonists of our Constitution was the control of what they called factions. Madison defined a 'faction' as "a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community." Madison understood that we would always have factions and that the only relief would be the controlling of its effects. Madison argued that a Republic would be more successful in controlling factions than a pure Democracy because a Republic would, “…refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country, and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations.”…

    • 547 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After America’s long journey of seeking freedom from governmental oppression, the newly formed nation was skeptical when it came to the discussion of new government authority. Many Americans were still uneasy about consolidated power, while others were aware of the prevalent national instability caused by the lack thereof. Though, in the end, the Constitution prevailed and has become the cornerstone of American government, the path that led to this enduring document was gradual and filled with apprehension and debate. Both sides of the issue had very clear and valid notions about either their support or opposition to the Constitution, and in the end were able to find common ground through patience and compromise.…

    • 1123 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays