4 Reasons Why the American Government Works

"When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens. To secure the public good and private rights against the danger of such a faction, and at the same time to preserve the spirit and the form of popular government, is then the great object to which our inquiries are directed. "

1)  Majority Rule, Minority Rights: When power lies in the hands of the majority, a large faction the power to hurt smaller factions.  The U.S. government maintains minority rights even though majority rules.  Many people living in the colonies wanted to escape religious persecution, so including the idea of minority rights provides the security of being able to express interests and beliefs without unfair violations of rights.  Today, this idea is important because minority factions will always exist and need the assurance of protection that allows freedom of expression.

"Hence, the number of representatives in the two cases not being in proportion to that of the two constituents, and being proportionally greater in the small republic, it follows that, if the proportion of fit characters be not less in the large than in the small republic, the former will present a greater option, and consequently a greater probability of a fit choice."

2)  Compromise:  Too few representatives can conspire or be manipulated, while too many representatives can be confusing and chaotic.  In order to settle the debate of whether Congress should consist of two representatives from every state or of a number of representatives relative to the population, the “Great Compromise” for two legislative houses was made.  This works because both the Senate and House of Representatives have enough members so that there are multiple factions, and it is difficult to have members conspire due to the quantity of different voices and opinions in Congress.

"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."

3)  Interdependence:  Since men are flawed, there should be checks and balances so that they can catch each others’ mistakes.  There are checks and balances of power between the legislative, executive, and judicial branch in the government.  More importantly, there is a check on the government from the people governed.  The government’s purpose is to serve the people and the U.S. republic works people feel like they have influence over the government and can express their concerns when needed. 

"In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people. The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself."

4) Security:  In essence, the people want to be able to live their own lives without being endangered.  When the Constitution was written, many people were suspicious that a centralized government would become a tyranny.  Having separate state and federal governments provides another aspect of interdependence, and thus, another layer of security.  Both state and federal governments can watch each other for overstepping boundaries and violating the peoples' rights.

Why the American form of Government Works

"As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed. As long as the connection subsists between his reason and his self-love, his opinions and his passions will have a reciprocal influence on each other; and the former will be objects to which the latter will attach themselves. The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government"(10).

Throughout this section, Madison executes the point that diversity and diverging opinions on social, political, and religious matters are inevitable and will create numerous divisions within a society.  Thus, it is the government's duty to protect these faculties. Instead of viewing diversity in a negative light, he shows that a government can only function because it is diverse. The main purpose of the government is to ensue that its citizens are being granted their liberties which were formerly being taken away. This shows that the American form of government, a democracy will be effective because the government will have a dedication and commitment to guaranteeing all citizens their freedoms and rights.

"If a faction consists of less than a majority, relief is supplied by the republican principle, which enables the majority to defeat its sinister views by regular vote. It may clog the administration, it may convulse the society; but it will be unable to execute and mask its violence under the forms of the Constitution. When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens"(10).

This quote shows that by forming a democracy everyone will participate in the government. Through compromise,  a settlement can be formed by mutual concessions of each faction. Under British rule, the colonists had no say in British actions because they had no representation. Under a democracy everyone will have a say, and together, as American people, will be able to reach an agreement that will benefit "the public good and the rights of other citizens."  Therefore, the greater majority of the people will be appeased and all will be represented.  Furthermore, because a democracy is comprised of the people, "sinister views"  will be eradicated "by regular vote." This will prevent corruption and misrepresentation because no one regular citizen will have more of a say than another regular   citizen.

"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"(51).

Man's corruption in society has existed since the beginning of recorded history.  Thomas Hobbes argued that men are inherently evil.  Human nature enables one to be corrupted and tainted.  Therefore in order to protect the rights of the whole, which Madison previously stated was the purpose of the government, a system needs to be created so "ambition" can "counteract ambition."
When given authority, men tend to abuse that which they have been given, so each branch within   the government: the legislative, executive, and judicial, is required to check the power of the other branches and balance out the authority, to disallow one branch from gaining too much power and inevitably abusing it.  By doing so, the rights of the people will be preserved and the functionality of a democracy will be preserved as well.

"It is equally evident, that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others, for the emoluments annexed to their offices. Were the executive magistrate, or the judges, not independent of the legislature in this particular, their independence in every other would be merely nominal.  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"(51).

In order for opinions to differ and be numerous throughout the three branches, "the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others."  To ensure that all citizens are being represented there needs to be various diverging viewpoints throughout the government.  Not only will this guarantee that the best possible law, bill, or action is being passed, but it will also allow all factions to be accounted for.  The purpose of creating three distinct branches is so there will be at least three different possible decisions, otherwise the branches "would be merely nominal." Therefore a democracy, and America, can only function if each branch properly executes its role and purpose independently.

Why the Articles of Confederation didn't work

The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution in America and served as an important stepping stone into creating the government we now have today. However, it turned out to be a very weak form of government and was often referred to as the "Articles of Confusion". But why didn't this first attempt of government work? It was because each state had a single vote in congress, unanimity was required to revise the article, and it created a state within a state.

One of the first problems that occurred with the Articles of Confederation was the fact that each state only had one state. At first, this seems like a very fair and a very practical decision. However, this one vote per state could not accurately represent the will of the whole nation. For instance, Rhode Island was the smallest state back then and has the smallest population, as compared to Virginia which had a much larger population. With that in mind, it does not seem fair that the will of 68000 people had the same weight as the will of 680000 people. With the system of one vote per state the will of the country could not be accurately represented.

The second problem that the Articles of Confederation faced was that it took a unanimous vote to amend the articles. Having thirteen states that 50 years ago, did not identify themselves as a union or a single entity, unanimously agree on anything was tough. Each state had their own goals to keep in mind and each state was still looking to get ahead of the other states. This made it very difficult for them all to work together and agree on things that needed to be changed.

Lastly, the Articles of Confederation created states within a state. The Articles of Confederation was built to create a weak congress, so that each state didn't feel threatened by the power of a "new parliament". For instance Congress made states pay up their share of taxes on a "voluntary" basis. This basically allowed the state government to keep their tax revenue and hurt the governments authority and funding. This caused the states to assert their on power and influence over congress, essentially making congress useless.

The Articles of Confederation were an important document in American history. It established the first government in American history and was a step to building democracy in the Western World.

American Culture: The British

At this point in our USHAP studies, the states have officially become independent of England, and we are currently learning about the formation of these newly independent states into a united country. However, despite their newfound independence, there were certainly many elements of British culture that remained in American culture, especially since most colonists were either British-born, of British descent, or were from one of the countries within the United Kingdom. Many Americans had been Loyalists during the war, and even after the war retained their loyalty to the crown. Even though America was independence, nothing would stop British influence from being widespread in the new country. Where do we still see British influence in American culture today?

The most obvious answer is in our language. While the US has no official national language, most of the people in the country can speak and read English well. However, the lasting effects of British influence stretches further than just diction. Even when the founding fathers were creating the Constitution, the representative houses they created somewhat resembled British Parliament, although the Americans aimed for true representation rather than virtual representation. The idea of a representative democracy in the US was in fact inspired by the colonies grievances with the Parliamentary system, so in that respect, the idea of the American representative system can be both directly and indirectly attributed to the British. 

My personal favorite example of lasting influence from the UK: how many of us enjoy daily tea? Scones(from Scotland)?

Despite nearly two and a half centuries of independence, the American people seem to have a fascination with the ruling family of England. Did anyone else find it a little strange that CNN, and American television company, spent the entire day of the wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton providing American viewers with in-depth coverage of the event? Even in the US, it seemed like everyone was fascinated by the wedding ceremony, the attire all the royals wore to the wedding, and just about every other aspect. Similarly, many people in the United States were excited about Kate's pregnancy and were excited when pictures of the baby were released. I don't know what it is about the royal family, but somehow they are able to bring excitement even to people in this independent country across the pond. Anyone have any ideas as to why Americans might get so excited about the British Royal Family?

There are of course countless other factors that have created the melting pot that is American culture. Even in the late 1700s, the time period we are in right now in class, there were numerous Americans who were descendants of other parts of the globe. Today, this diversity is what makes American culture unique and extremely varied across the fifty states. While there is no shortage of British influence in American society today, thankfully the US has drawn influence and cultures from other places to make it the interesting place that it is. 

While reading these first few chapters these last two weeks, i have been seeing many parallels between the american revolution and one of my favorite books, The Hunger Games.  here is a link to a document written by three 5th grade girls about how they saw these connections while learning about the war in their 5th grade history class.

check it out!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/britt-darrow/post_3553_b_1624818.html

Why Does The US Government Work?

"Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires. But it could not be less folly to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it imparts to fire its destructive agency".

In this particular quote from his Federalist Paper No. 10, James Madison argues for the importance of liberty in a government.  So important in fact that he says it can not be taken away even to take away the power and effects of a faction, which he says causes disagreement, disunity, and the stop of progress.  He also compares liberty to air, which is "essential to animal life", hence further stressing its importance.  The American form of government works because it's grants everyone that liberty that allows them to freely express ideas, beliefs, thoughts, etc.  This idea of liberty was greatly stressed even from the beginnings of America: their struggle for independence and freedom from the British.  The idea of liberty is so deeply engraved in the mind of the American people that their government might not even function properly without it.  Thus, liberty is certainly essential and helps make our government work.  But would our government work better without factions and if so, I wonder" how can we rid of factions without taking away liberty?


"This policy of supplying, by opposite and rival interests, the defect of better motives, might be traced through the whole system of human affairs, private as well as public. We see it particularly displayed in all the subordinate distributions of power, where the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other -- that the private interest of every individual may be a sentinel over the public rights. These inventions of prudence cannot be less requisite in the distribution of the supreme powers of the State".

In this passage from The Federalist Paper No. 51, Madison states that a system of check and balances is necessary for a government to function.  One of a government's aims is to divide itself, which also essentially divides its power, so that not one of the offices that constitute the government will have too much power.  This is to prevent the reason why the Americans held a revolution in the first place.  Without the system of checks and balances, America's government might have become just like Britain's, which would have negated the entire purpose of the revolution.  The system of checks and balances, therefore, is also necessary and essential to the clockwork of our government.

Why does the American Government work?

"From this view of the subject it may be concluded that a pure democracy, by which I mean a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person, can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction. A common passion or interest will, in almost every case, be felt by a majority of the whole; a communication and concert result from the form of government itself; and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party or an obnoxious individual”(#10)

This shows that the founding father knew about the failures of a pure democracy, with the biggest problem being majority rule without minority rights. If a change had not been made to democracy, then major movements such as the civil rights movement would have not happened, or would have met much more opposition. The U.S. would become a country where all the decisions favored whites, with all other races facing discrimination.

Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires. But it could not be less folly to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it imparts to fire its destructive agency(#10)

This is saying that liberty causes and help factions form and gain strength, just like air makes fire stronger, however liberty is a necessary evil as politics cannot exist without it just as life cannot exist without air.

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

In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates. The remedy for this inconvenience is to divide the legislature into different branches; and to render them, by different modes of election and different principles of action, as little connected with each other as the nature of their common functions and their common dependence on the society will admit. It may even be necessary to guard against dangerous encroachments by still further precautions.(#51)

This is saying that the government needs a control over itself to make sure that it does not abuse its power. A check by the people can work sometimes, but another way to install a check is through multiple branches of government, which can more radially check if the power of another branch is getting too large.

A comparison as to why a compound republic is effective as a form of government

I remember way back in 8th grade learning about the different branches of the American government.  In my class, we learned that there is a Judicial branch, a Legislative branch and an Executive branch, which work with equal powers as a team to run the USA. How they do this is with a series of what are known as "checks and balances", also known as separation of powers.  Checks and Balances provide each branch with a way to regulate the other two branches.  For example the senate must ratify all treaties with a two thirds vote, the President can veto a bill passed by congress, and the Supreme Court judges how closely a law follows or does not follow the Constitution.  In this way, if Congress decides they would like to pass a law that gives the right of freedom of speech to those who own a house and takes away the right of freedom of speech from people who do not own a house, the Supreme Court would be able to stop this oppressive law from passing by ruling it unconstitutional on the basis that it violates the first amendment.  In The Federalist No.10 and The Federalist No.51, James Madison argues the necessity of a system of checks and balances in a nations government, due to their ability to regulate factions within and between that government’s political parties.

To begin with, in order to asses the validity of James Madison’s statement, one must first examine those countries who do not have a system of Checks and balances in place, and asses their political stability and extent to which they are providing their people with their natural rights. 

First lets examine ancient Greece and their government of direct democracy.  In The Federalist No. 10, Madison states, that “Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, and their passions.” In this Madison points out the reason for the evolution of political parties and factions.  It is because men are not all equal in their possessions and passions that people disagree with one another.  In a direct democracy, there is no way to prevent the majority from passing an oppressive law or act, because there is no way to check their power.  While those theoretic politicians may argue that the separation of powers exists between each individual person, people are not perfect, and thus cannot be trusted to allow their actions merely to be guided with only the good of the state and of its people in mind. 

A second example of a government not without checks and balances, but without a balanced separation of power is the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea, more commonly known as North Korea.  While it is true that the North Korean government possesses a separation of powers through their government branches of the Cabinet, the Supreme People’s Assembly, the Central Court and the Korean People’s Army, they are a more Centralized government with only one party and numerous restrictions on their people’s natural rights.  Madison has been clear to define, that while faction cannot be left unattended it also provides “…various and interfering interests”…which fosters modern legislation because of the necessity of “the spirit of party and faction in the necessary and ordinary operations of the government”(No.10).  Thus North Korea, having only one party, has eliminated the issue of faction, but in doing so condemned its own government to fail because of the lack of differing opinions.  In the case of North Korea it is not so much the lack of separation within their government that causes the issue of a lack of liberty and thus a lac of differing political views, but the separation of government and people.  Because there is not a branch of power given to the people so that they may assist in regulating the government, the government has stopped regarding the people’s opinions and natural rights in favor of their own personal desires for power and prestige. 

Having asserted through these two examples of government that Madison is correct in his opinion that without equal separation of government both within the governing body and between the governing body and its people, let us examine thus why the government of countries such as the United States, Canada and England have succeeded in the endeavor to form a government in which people retain their natural rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

The most important reason these three countries have been successful in setting up such a government is that they have provided that under their jurisdiction, the people have the liberty to decide, express and communicate their own ideas and opinions.  This basic freedom of speech and of the press (as it is called in the US constitution) allows for the spread of differing opinions and thus the formation of opposing political groups.  It is this idea of faction and its necessity in a republic to stimulate the government operations which is such a crucial piece of government in the US, Canada, and England.

In addition to the existence of factions the second most important piece of a republican government is a separation of powers.  In the US the separation of powers is very extensive, and begins with the separation between the federal government and the state governments.  This separation enables the country to regulate extensively any faction from gaining too much power, because while the faction may dominate the state, the nation as a whole is little affected by the state majorities interests and can still make a decision which is beneficial for the greater good of all the countries people.  Likewise, both the state government and the central government are further divided into the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch.  These branches check each other in multiple ways, and by doing so preserve the purpose of the government as a protection of the people’s rights and liberties.  As Madison says so eloquently “In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments.  Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people.  The different governments will control each other, at the same time that each will be controlled by itself” (No. 51).  In this way, the US has created a self regulating government that puts all branches on equal ground, and thus allows for the most efficient and reliable form of providing a just governing body.  

Why is Old Thing Still Working?

“In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates. The remedy for this inconveniency is to divide the legislature into different branches; and to render them, by different modes of election and different principles of action, as little connected with each other as the nature of their common functions and their common dependence on the society will admit.”(Federalist Paper No. 51)

James Madison main conclusion is this passage is that the need for a bi-cameral legislative system. The bi-cameral legislature notion is the foundation of the legislative structure that is active in Washington today. Interestingly, this idea also solved a major issue for the founding fathers. Many of the smaller states desired a one-house system where by each states received the same number of representatives. However, the larger states argued that voting should be determined by population size. The idea of a House of Representatives and the Senate was implemented to American politics ensuring that each state would be represented equally.

“To what expedient, then, shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the Constitution? The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.”(Federalist Paper No. 51)

James Madison introduces the idea of separate, yet equal parts for the new government. What essentially is being described is a structure of government that has different branches that maintain the means of “keeping each other in their proper places.” In other words a government where no one section of the government is more powerful than another, each section has the power to curtail the decision of the other. Thus Madison provides a solution for maintaining that the republic will not slip into the hands of an autocrat or completely crumble. This idea of isolating each branch to the point that they cannot impact another yet still check each other is paramount to the success of this form of government.  

 “A landed interest, a manufacturing interest, a mercantile interest, a moneyed interest, with many lesser interests, grow up of necessity in civilized nations, and divide them into different classes, actuated by different sentiments and views. The regulation of these various and interfering interests forms the principal task of modern legislation, and involves the spirit of party and faction in the necessary and ordinary operations of the government.”(Federalist Paper No. 10)

Madison explains his concern over the eventual establishment of political parties and states that modern legislation is necessary for the to limit the influence of these groups. He outlines the task of the legislative branch; to make sure that no “interest” or party gains too much influence or power. Yet the legislative branch must not exclude any party for the “necessary and ordinary operations of the government” By finding an equilibrium between these two factors the government provides every party equal say but also prevents any one group form total control.

“In the first place, it is to be remarked that, however small the republic may be, the representatives must be raised to a certain number, in order to guard against the cabals of a few; and that, however large it may be, they must be limited to a certain number, in order to guard against the confusion of a multitude.”(Federalist Paper No. 10)

In this excerpt, Madison contests that a there must always be a majority representing the interests of the people. He states that the government is susceptible to destruction if the pursuits of a few could take priority over those of the people.  However, there are two sides to the same coin. He contends that the government must not also reach a size where it can no longer function and as he puts “guard against the confusion of a multitude. This delicate balance safeguards the integrity of the government, while also assuring that it will remain effective when representing the interests of the people.

                                                                                                                    

Why the US Government Works

There are again two methods of removing the causes of faction: the one, by destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence; the other, by giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests.
...

The second expedient is as impracticable as the first would be unwise. As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed. As long as the connection subsists between his reason and his self-love, his opinions and his passions will have a reciprocal influence on each other; and the former will be objects to which the latter will attach themselves. The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government. From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results; and from the influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors, ensues a division of the society into different interests and parties.

This passage discusses how the government should handle factions, or small groups that have private interests conflicting with the interests of the general public. Here, Madison is explaining that we would be able to bring such factions to an end if we could force everyone to have the same interests. Realistically, this is not possible, and instead everyone is granted liberty. However, Madison acknowledges that all men have varying abilities, and because of this, all men have the right to property. Rights for men from all facets of society is a policy that guarantees a high standard of progress, for if all men participate, then government is always subject to critique, and thus it is constantly being improved by the people. Therefore, the American system of government works because it is constantly improving itself.


The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man; and we see them everywhere brought into different degrees of activity, according to the different circumstances of civil society. A zeal for different opinions concerning religion, concerning government, and many other points, as well of speculation as of practice; an attachment to different leaders ambitiously contending for pre-eminence and power; or to persons of other descriptions whose fortunes have been interesting to the human passions, have, in turn, divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to co-operate for their common good. So strong is this propensity of mankind to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions and excite their most violent conflicts. But the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society. Those who are creditors, and those who are debtors, fall under a like discrimination. A landed interest, a manufacturing interest, a mercantile interest, a moneyed interest, with many lesser interests, grow up of necessity in civilized nations, and divide them into different classes, actuated by different sentiments and views. The regulation of these various and interfering interests forms the principal task of modern legislation, and involves the spirit of party and faction in the necessary and ordinary operations of the government.

Here, Madison explains in detail that humans have a natural tendency towards differing opinions in religion, government, and in nearly all other areas of society. He explains that this is a fact that cannot be changed, but the modern legislation is very much involved in regulating these factions. This shows that the American government accepts that it is unable to change certain facts about humanity. However, the government can monitor such things to make sure they don't spiral out of control. This ensures that the American government favors productivity more than anything, for if everyone was divided against one another, then we would never accomplish anything. By regulating these opposing viewpoints, the American government allows for a healthy amount of debate while at the same time, it progresses forward.


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.

Government controls us to maintain order throughout the whole population. But how can we maintain the same order within the government itself? The answer is simple: those at the head of the different branches must work together to ensure that the branches are all balanced with respect to different political parties. This means that the government should not be solely focused on controlling the people, for it must also control itself. A well-balanced government will, in turn, lead to more thorough representation of the people, and thus a more democratic government. This keeps the population satisfied, because it ensures that no single party becomes dominant in government. Madison states that "if angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary." This showss that the checks and balances exist as a result of human fault, for a single party in power would bias their leadership toward their own interests. However, the system of checks and balances can prevent such a thing from ever happening, thus making it as if men were governed by angels.

But it is not possible to give to each department an equal power of self-defense. In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates. The remedy for this inconveniency is to divide the legislature into different branches; and to render them, by different modes of election and different principles of action, as little connected with each other as the nature of their common functions and their common dependence on the society will admit. It may even be necessary to guard against dangerous encroachments by still further precautions. As the weight of the legislative authority requires that it should be thus divided, the weakness of the executive may require, on the other hand, that it should be fortified.

Madison depicts that, although we must make sure that all aspects of government are balanced, we should not keep our attention towards them balanced. This is because the legislature tends to dominate, so the government must give it more attention to it than the other branches of government to ensure that it does not become too powerful. Therefore, the legislative branch is divided within itself in order to maintain balance. In a similar manner, the executive branch, which tends to be rather weak, must be buffered to maintain balance. This shows the system of checks and balances in action, and it displays that, by constantly checking itself, the US government can undoubtedly avoid any form of single-party domination.

Why does the American government work?

"It could never be more truly said than of the first remedy that it was worse
than the disease. Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without
which it instantly expires. But it could not be less folly to abolish liberty,
which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be
to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it
imparts to fire its destructive agency."

Here James Madison stresses a very fundamental American ideal in his Federalist Paper #10; liberty is the driving idea behind the new government, and that it cannot be taken away to simply undermine faction. This is very significant, because it does not follow the pattern of European governments, nearly all of which would abolish personal liberties, such as freedom of speech, in order to prevent political disunity. Because the founders of the American government were so driven by the idea of personal liberties, they cemented the necessity of person freedom into the American spirit. The American government works because American citizens are so dedicated to preserving personal liberty above everything else, and this dedication stems from the founders of our government emphasizing the importance of liberty. This national commitment of the people to civil rights combined with the republican system that allows the people such a loud voice in government ensures that everyone is guaranteed basic liberties.

"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."

This second passage comes from Madison's Federalist Paper #51. Here he discusses the two most important steps to creating a democratic government, the second step being a fundamental principle of the American government, separation of power in government. Madison also discusses the importance of "auxiliary precautions." This is another key factor of why the American government has been so stable over the past 200 years; the founders took extremely preventative measures to assure that the government is constantly relying on the people. In his Federalist Paper #51, Madison explains the branches of government which would be used to keep anyone one faction out of power. The branches of government was created so that factions could not split the country, however the members of a dissenting faction could keep their civil rights.

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.