James Madison's Arguments In Favor Of The Constitution

688 Words3 Pages

James Madison starts this most popular of the Federalist papers by explaining that one of the toughest arguments in favor of the constitution is the principal that it establishes a government able to control the disturbance and damage made by factions. James Madison describes factions as groups of individuals in communities who gather around together in unity to promote and protect their special economic interests as well as political opinions. Even though these factions exhibit differences as well as distinguishing marks that separate them from each other, they constantly and continue work towards the public interest which gains support from inhabitants within those factions. And at times might infringe upon the social and communal rights …show more content…

A republican form of government provides a good solution for factions with out getting rid of liberty altogether. A faction can be described as a number of people that are inspired by some passions they share together to act adversely towards the rights of other inhabitants of this society. The republican form of government tries to keep factions from forming due to the fact that higher representatives guard against the attempts of the few, and because of the extended sphere of the republic makes it less probable that a faction could soon become the majority of the entire whole. In Federalist paper #10, James Madison compares liberty to a faction as air is to a fire. By this he means that factions could in no way exist with out certain liberties that give them the constitutional rights to come together in union with shared interests and passions to promote themselves and protect the individual rights of others. With this historic phrase in mind, Factions relate to liberty by ensuring personal liberties such as the first amendment rights to associate, assemble, speak, print and worship is to ensure the special interest