Why Does the American Government Work?

No. 10

“No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment, and, not improbably, corrupt his integrity. With equal, nay with greater reason, a body of men are unfit to be both judges and parties at the same time; yet what are many of the most important acts of legislation, but so many judicial determinations, not indeed concerning the rights of single persons, but concerning the rights of large bodies of citizens? And what are the different classes of legislators but advocates and parties to the causes which they determine? Is a law proposed concerning private debts? It is a question to which the creditors are parties on one side and the debtors on the other. Justice ought to hold the balance between them.”

This passage from The Federalist Essay No. 10 demonstrates how the American Government works by balancing views in order to create an unbiased judgement. It basically states that a man shouldn’t be his own judge for his opinions can distort the facts in order to bring favor upon himself. Thus, a group of people, preferably unrelated to the man must be the ones to judge in order to justify what is right and wrong. The reason why the American Government works is because the roots of the government isn’t based on one person, coming from one mind. America is governed by the people, the majority.

“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.

In the extent and proper structure of the Union, therefore, we behold a republican remedy for the diseases most incident to republican government. And according to the degree of pleasure and pride we feel in being republicans, ought to be our zeal in cherishing the spirit and supporting the character of Federalists.”

This passage talks about how even if a leader influences its state with particular ideals, America’s Republican government properties make it hard for the influence to spread throughout. A “wicked project” of a leader of a state will not easily expand and affect all the other states because each state has it’s own leader, supported by its people. In other words, this passage is supporting the republican nature and how it is less likely for the entire American government to become corrupt compared to a government governed by one mind and ruling all. It is due to the division of the state and smaller sections that kept our government intact and prevented it from getting overrun by other governments.

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. The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”

Madison states the nature of human ambition and how its effects in government can be a problem. It is self interest of humans that makes them different from angels, thus, calling for the need of a proper government that will not overwhelm but won’t cause chaos. A key to creating a good balance is the “gradual concentration of the several powers” and to control, yet, be controlled. Madison says that the primary control by the people must be the dependence on the people but people must take extra precautions for the probable. This seems to be a precursor to the checks and balances of the three powers that will make the American government work.

“This, at best, is but a precarious security; because a power independent of the society may as well espouse the unjust views of the major, as the rightful interests of the minor party, and may possibly be turned against both parties. The second method will be exemplified in the federal republic of the United States. 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. The degree of security in both cases will depend on the number of interests and sects; and this may be presumed to depend on the extent of country and number of people comprehended under the same government. This view of the subject must particularly recommend a proper federal system to all the sincere and considerate friends of republican government, since it shows that in exact proportion as the territory of the Union may be formed into more circumscribed Confederacies, or States oppressive combinations of a majority will be facilitated: the best security, under the republican forms, for the rights of every class of citizens, will be diminished: and consequently the stability and independence of some member of the government, the only other security, must be proportionately increased. Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society.”

This last passage states that because the society, which authority should be dependent on, is made up of so many different classes and individuals, it would be difficult to take away the rights of citizens, therefore, in a free government, peoples’ rights should be protected. For each sect or division has its own special interest, it is hard to provide equal protection. Madison is thus stating that in some cases, the “degree of security will depend on the number”. He wants each voice to be heard and have space left for flexibility in the government so that changes can be made if needed. The fact that America is still functioning under Madison’s words is proof that the republican government works, despite the fact that the population of America has grown exponentially since Madison’s time.