Summary Of The Federalist No. 10 James Madison

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In the Federalist no. 10 James Madison argues that the iniquity of the government by the people is its exposure to the issue caused by factions. Madison defines factions as any group of people that share the same views and opinions. These factions often assemble together causing violence and damage to secure personal economic investments and enforce their political views. Madison’s main concern with factions is that one might reduce the rights of another or effect the good of the whole in order to protect their own self-interest. When given the freedom to do so, these personal interest are usually at the price of another group.
Madison believes that these factions are beneficial for the republic only if they can be managed. He implies that …show more content…

Madison points out that another cause of factions is due to the difference in property. For example bankers and farmers have different economic interests. Banks push for a high interest rate in order to collect more money on the money they loan. Farmers on the other hand need to borrow to purchase land or equipment and want a low interest rate so there would be less money required to pay back. Since there are financial differences in society and everyone can’t have the same amount of property, Madison argues that a strong republic would bring these two fractions to a common ground. There will always be fractions, but the form of a republic forces them to be unified, smaller and less likely to overcome the each other. A republican government is maintained by representatives chosen by the people instead of a democracy ran by the people themselves. Because these representatives need votes, Madison argues that a republic with a large group of people enable leaders to be more accountable and concerned for the good of the people. Madison argues the need for a large republic by

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