Federalist 10 Political Science Module 2

What are the advantages of a large republic?     13 A large republic provides a bigger candidate pool from which to select fit leaders. A large electorate is less likely to select undesirable leaders than is a small electorate. A larger territory will include a greater diversity of interests than will a smaller territory. A majority faction is therefore unlikely to emerge in a large territory. 7/29/2024 The dilemma of district size   14 In a large electoral district, the representative may be too little acquainted with local interests and circumstances to represent them effectively. In a small electoral district, the representative may be too attached to local issues and unconcerned or unable to comprehend national concerns. 7/29/2024 The federal solution The federal system provides a “happy combination,” as Madison put it. The national government deals with national issues while the state governments address local issues. 15 7/29/2024 Summary   16 Madison wrote Federalist 10 to defend the Constitution against the charge that a faction would soon gain control, substituting its own interest for the national interest. The antidote to the problem of faction, Madison declared, is a large republic with a multiplicity of interests, making it unlikely that a majority faction will form. 7/29/2024 Review question Does Madison consider factions to be good or bad? 17 7/29/2024 Answer Both. Madison defined a faction as a number of citizens, either a minority or a majority, that are united by a common impulse or passion adverse to the rights of other citizens or the best interests of the community. From the perspective of the common good, which was Madison’s goal, factions are a problem. 18 7/29/2024 Answer (cont.) Nonetheless, multiple factions play a positive role by counterbalancing one another. Madison’s solution to the problem of faction is a large republic with a multiplicity of factions that keep one another from becoming too powerful. Factions, then, are also the solution. 19 7/29/2024 Discussion question Does Madison have an idealistic or realistic view of human nature? What’s the basis for your answer? 20 7/29/2024 Discussion question What are the causes of faction in today’s society? Is the “various and unequal distribution of property” still a major source of division? 21 7/29/2024 Discussion question How do each of the following constitutional provisions reflect the founders’ bias against pure democracy?     22 The electoral college The original process for choosing U.S. senators The procedure for amending the Constitution The presidential veto 7/29/2024 Discussion question Would you expect that a republican government would be less likely to succeed in an under-developed society with few interest groups than it would in a modern industrial society with a large number of organized interests? Why or why not? 23 7/29/2024