which of the following best describes madison’s primary concern about representative government?
Which of the following best describes Madison’s primary concern about representative government?
Answer:
James Madison, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and a key architect of the U.S. Constitution, had several concerns regarding representative government. His primary concern was the problem of factionalism – the risk that factions (groups of citizens with interests contrary to the rights of others or the interests of the whole community) could dominate the government and society, leading to instability and the erosion of individual rights.
Key Concerns:
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Factionalism:
- Definition: Factions, as defined by Madison in Federalist No. 10, are groups of citizens with interests that are adverse to the rights of other citizens or to the interests of the community as a whole.
- Problem: Madison argued that factions could lead to tyranny by the majority, where a majority faction could oppress minority groups or trample on individual rights.
- Solution: To mitigate this, Madison proposed a large republic with a diverse society where numerous factions would check and balance each other, making it harder for any one faction to dominate.
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Protection of Minority Rights:
- Issue: In a purely democratic system, the majority could easily infringe on the rights of the minority.
- Goal: Madison aimed to design a system that would protect the rights of minority groups by ensuring a balance of power and preventing any one group from gaining complete control.
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Checks and Balances:
- Mechanism: The establishment of a system of checks and balances within the government was essential to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
- Purpose: This structural safeguard was intended to prevent tyranny and ensure a government that truly represented the will of the people while protecting individual rights.
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Extended Republic:
- Advantage: Madison believed that a large republic with a wide variety of interests and factions would prevent any single group from dominating the political system.
- Rationale: The diversity of opinions and interests in a large republic would dilute the influence of any one faction, making it more difficult for factions to unite for unjust ends.
Final Answer:
Madison’s primary concern about representative government was factionalism – the risk that factions with interests contrary to the rights of others or the common good would dominate, leading to instability and the erosion of individual rights. To address this, he advocated for a large republic with a broad representation of diverse factions and a system of checks and balances to prevent any single group from gaining undue influence.