Madison's Vision: Defending Liberty and Government through the Federalist Papers

In order to defend the new United States Constitution and demonstrate how it allowed for the most ideal form of government, author James Madison devised several of the Federalist Papers. In order to win the public's support, Madison and the other writers, including names such as Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, outlined in these essays the advantages of the government established by the Constitution and how it would uphold the principles decided upon by the country's founders. Madison explains the best ways for the government to safeguard and defend liberty, particularly in Federalist 10 and 51. In the Federalist 10, Madison explains that expanding democracies safeguards the Union against groups, protecting liberty; he then reiterates this claim in the Federalist 51, arguing that the government can also safeguard liberty by enacting checks and balances. He explains that governments frequently make decisions by the "superior force of an involved and domineering majority" rather than in accordance with the "rules of justice," Madison first describes the "violence of division." He clarifies the problem by pointing out how dominant groups or parties in governments have historically been able to rule without taking into account minority parties. Madison continues to lay out potential fixes for this issue, pointing out that doing so would undermine peoples' freedom to make their own decisions.

Madison wanted to get rid of groups, but this devastation would defeat that goal because it would restrict people's freedom. Using this reasoning, Madison claims that the emergence of parties is inevitable and that the government should therefore avoid "the same passion or interest in a majority" or regulate the "number and local circumstance" of the majority in order to control their effects. In a true democracy, a "shared enthusiasm or interest" will inevitably emerge among the majority, according to Madison. The majority would acquire too much power within the democratic self-government, and as a result the United States would be overrun by tyranny, is one of the main issues that both Alexis de Tocqueville and James Madison address within theDemocracy in America. James Madison discusses the challenges factions offer to the government's ability to manage the authority of the majority. In order to manage the power of the groups, he contends, the United States requires a powerful central government in a vast nation. Chapters in Alexis de Tocqueville explore ideas that James Madison briefly mentioned and expand on them in order to back Madison's assertions.

After the failures of the Articles of Confederation, it was obvious to the participants in the Second Constitutional Convention that fundamental changes to the system of government were required if they were to have a successful country. From this understanding, the Constitution was created, clearly separating it from the Articles. The Federalist Papers were written to convince members of Congress and the states to approve the Constitution. James Madison collaborated with a number of other Federalists, including Alexander Hamilton in order to create the document. Federalist 10 and Federalist 51, which have been cited by history as two of the collection's most important essays, stand out for their crystal-clear and compelling justifications for why and how a strong national government would safeguard its people. Madison contends in this document that delegation, by "refining and enlarging the public views, by moving them through the channel of a selected body of citizens, whose intelligence may best perceive the true interest of their nation, will extinguish the disruptive character of groups." While it is in the best interest of the nation to have the most qualified people in office, voting was historically a luxury only enjoyed by a small portion of the population, even among white men. It was impossible for other groups to be granted a say in politics because of this underrepresentation.

The strongest case in favor of our present Constitution is found in Federalist 10. Madison's perspective contradicts the conventional wisdom that a smaller nation is preferable to a bigger one. The suggested government, which Madison backs, aimed to create a powerful government that could tame faction-related bloodshed and destruction. People who band together to defend and advance their social, economic, and political viewpoints are said to form factions (Madison, 72). The greatest worry was that if the American government was weak, the groups would start to gain too much power and take control of it. The strongest case in favor of the present Constitution is found in Federalist 10. Madison's perspective contradicts the conventional wisdom that a smaller nation is preferable to a bigger one. This suggested government, which Madison backs, aimed to create a powerful government that could tame faction-related bloodshed and destruction. People who band together to defend and advance their social, economic, and political viewpoints are said to form factions (Madison, 72). The greatest worry was that if the American government was weak, the groups would start to gain too much power and take control of it. The well-being of the populace is threatened by various groups with opposing ideologies. A faction's share of the total population may be either dominant or minority. The way the United States is ruled could be affected if the groups became more intimately connected to one another and committed violent acts.

The three departments of government that are suggested by Federalist Paper 51 are the executive, legislative, and judicial. While each department should be able to function independently, it also needs to have some sort of control over the others in order to prevent a takeover of the government. The Judicial branch needs to be appointed by the President with Senate permission because they want qualified applicants for a post that lasts for life, and the Legislative branch needs to be further divided into the House of Representatives and the Senate because it is the most important department. Madison's approach was distinctive in that it depended on both the formal institutions that could be created and the unique social structure of American society, which he saw as a lucky beginning point for the writers of the new constitution. His answer included structural checks and balances, which provided a number of entrance points into government and a number of methods to counteract any power that one part of the government might otherwise come to possess over another. “The constant goal of this system is to separate and set up the various departments so that they can each act as a check on one another.”