- What concept that we have already discussed does “faction” remind you of?
To me, “faction” reminds me of the civil rights movement that we discussed in Module 2. The minority of black and brown citizens united for the interest of the community to fight segregation and the criminalization of colored people.
2. According to Federalist #10 (written by James Madison), what is the source of wealth (private property)? What factor explains why some people get to possess wealth by owning private property and others don’t (thus remaining poor)? This is a key question because it shows how the authors of the Constitution thought about the difference between different classes of Americans! HINT: focus on the passage that begins: “The diversity in the faculties (WHAT DOES FACULTIES mean or refer to?) of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not les….”
According to Federalist #10, the source of wealth (private property) is made possible and depends on the faculties of intelligent men. Some people possess wealth because they are superior in intelligence and are smart enough to own property. If you are poor, it’s because you aren’t smart enough to get out of the poverty you were born into.
3. Do you agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty?
No, I do not agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty. I don’t think intelligence equals wealth, because there are plenty of intelligent people who live in poverty because they aren’t given the opportunities to better themselves. They must work harder to become more qualified than those who are just given the opportunity because of nepotism.
4. What is the core mission (“first object”) of the US government? Does this surprise you; does it sound different from what our society today seems to suggest the core mission of the government is? Explain.
The core mission of the US government is to protect the wealth of the upper class, and to enforce the separation of the social classes, the intelligent wealthy and the unintelligent people in poverty. No, this does not surprise me because our government sort of works the same way. They give tax breaks and support the upper wealthy class, while the working class must continuously fight for rights.
5. Given the discussion in questions 1-4, are you surprised that Federalist #10 is not in favor of democracy and supports a Republican (representative) form of government? Why would the author dislike a (pure) democratic form of government? Hint: think about how this question connects with the social classes…
No, I am not surprised that Federalist #10 is not in favor of democracy because it was created by someone who was a part of the upper wealthy social class. The wealthy used the government to benefit themselves, not the working or lower classes. If a democracy were formed, the government would be more likely to support the working class over the wealthy.
