On the Functionality of the American Government

Why does the American form of government work? The Federalist Papers of James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, originally published from 1787 to 1788 to promote ratification of the United States Constitution, reveal one opinion on this question.

Federalist Essay No. 10

"By enlarging too much the number of electors, you render the representatives too little acquainted with all their local circumstances and lesser interests; as by reducing it too much, you render him unduly attached to these, and too little fit to comprehend and pursue great and national objects. The federal Constitution forms a happy combination in this respect; the great and aggregate interests being referred to the national, the local and particular to the State legislatures." (James Madison, Federalist Essay No. 10)

A big aspect of American government is the emphasis on voting, and it is rooted in the Federal Constitution that the Federalist Papers tried so hard to have ratified. Here the Madison argues that the Constitution would provide for a balance between local and national interests. By implementing both national and State legislatures, both types of concerns would be represented.The balance between modern-day American states and the government on a national level is still a tricky one, but proves key to our continued liberty. Were a government to function on a purely national level, as Madison states “you render the representatives too little acquainted with all their local circumstances and lesser interests.” In this kind of a situation it is likely that the rights and interests of the masses would be ignored in favor of the “greater good” in terms of moving the country forward. On the other hand, without the national legislature America would return the the time of its founding, with thirteen divided colonies unable to agree on a single course of action. Madison’s words about a state-dominated government ring true, “too little fit to comprehend and pursue great and national objects.” Each state is naturally inspired only by its own needs, so that government by State legislature is bound to hold America at a standstill in favor of each state’s individual wants and not the greater need of the whole country. The reason why the United States government continues to progress while keeping local interests is found in its respect for both national and State legislatures.

"The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular States, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other States. A religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the Confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it must secure the national councils against any danger from that source. A rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the Union than a particular member of it; in the same proportion as such a malady is more likely to taint a particular county or district, than an entire State." (James Madison, Federalist Essay No. 10)

With this quote Madison argues the importance of different factions within the government to preserve the nation from an “improper or wicked project.” Poisoning multiple political factions with a common evil idea is obviously more difficult than poisoning the majority needed to create real change in America. Thus, as Madison argues, “the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it must secure the national councils against any danger from that source.” Maintaining a large number of factious leaders is what can keep America from falling prey to whirlwind ideas that gain traction but not sense as they fly through. Today we see only two major factions in the United States, the Democrats and the Republicans. Other small factions exist, but do not play as big of a role in American government. Perhaps the idea of factions is a little bit distorted now from Madison’s original vision, but the concept remains. A theory is that over time the factions have generally divided themselves into the two major parties, for those that band together have more say in government by sheer numbers. Smaller differences can be reconciled and negotiated, so more and more factions were able to place themselves in either one group or another. However, in the end the factions were bound to hit a dead end in the compromises, and thus the number of factions in the United States stopped at two (and numerous others that don’t hold anywhere near the impact that the Republicans and Democrats hold). Within the two main parties, though, there are still bound to be disagreements in opinion, forming mini-factions. Evening out these differences in opinions, cooperation, compromise, and a common goal now enter the stage. The two main factions operate on these few tenets, which is why the American government continues to survive even in a slightly different form than Madison envisioned.

Federalist Essay No. 51

"But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others ... Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place." (James Madison, Federalist Essay No. 51)

One sign of the influence of Enlightenment thinkers on the Founding Fathers is found in the application of Baron de Montesquieu’s separation of powers in the Constitution. This essential basis of American government began with the Federal Constitution, and endures today because of its legitimacy. Only by separating the executive, judicial, and legislative branches can liberty be maintained while the government still stands. Time and tyranny has proved for countless years that to have these three aspects of government wielded as one power is devastating to the rights of the citizens. Madison furthers the topic in this quote with the means to keep the three branches of government separate. He acknowledges the prevalence of man’s nature in his actions, and consequently comes to the conclusion that the leaders of the government must be driven by their own interests, for the “interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place.” Since human nature is bound to show through at some point, Madison rightly claims that it is necessary to put it to good use in government. In this mode of government, the seemingly evil ambitions of men are instead directed to keep the branches of government separate. These statements are not just guesswork, they are proved true by the endurance of the American government. Our rights still exist today and our voices are heard because separation of powers works. Pitting the ambitions of men against each other to ensure separation has been effective for two hundred years, and continues to be effective to this very day.

"Whilst all authority in it will be derived from and dependent on the society, the society itself will be broken into so many parts, interests, and classes of citizens, that the rights of individuals, or of the minority, will be in little danger from interested combinations of the majority. In a free government the security for civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights. It consists in the one case in the multiplicity of interests, and in the other in the multiplicity of sects." (James Madison, Federalist Essay No. 51)

Another point of Madison’s argument for the ratification of the Constitution is the protection it would provide for the rights of individuals. The system would work as described above, for society is “broken into so many parts, interests, and classes of citizens.” Just as religious sects coexist because because of multitude, it would be difficult to target and remove the rights of citizens split apart and continually shifting as a whole. Each group of individuals is out for its own interests, making it an impossibility to have one large party dominating the others without having a resistance instantly rise out of the other groups. This concept is very similar to the one examined earlier with the various political factions in government, this time on an individual level. America is made up of thousands of groups both large and small. Many factors contribute to difference in opinion, but all opinions deserve to be heard. Thus Madison’s argument here allows for the rights of individuals but also change when necessary. Even today the United States continues to function under Madison’s words, with civil rights enjoying the same security as religious rights. Both consist of a multitude of interests and sects, and that is what keeps them free. Following the words of the Constitution, American government continues to prevail even in this rapidly changing modern age.