- What concept that we have already discussed does “faction” remind you of?
Faction reminds me of the House Of Representatives because a political faction is a collection of people who support the same political cause but differ from the majority of the group in some ways. Parties within a party are fragmented minor parties that can exist within a larger group or political party.
- 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….”
James Madison argued that possessing real estate is a sign of affluence. The founding fathers believed that those who did not own land had their own interests and viewpoints, which helps to explain why some individuals are able to own riches while others are not. They contend that those who already control wealth do not share their interests or viewpoints. As a result, the wealthy do not think that those from lower social classes are capable of making choices that are in their own best interests.
- Do you agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty?
In today’s world, those who own significant property, like a corporation or a firm, can ensure their wealth remains, so I agree with Madison’s interpretation of wealth and poverty. Because they hire people of lower class to work for them for wages that do not reflect the amount of work they do, many of their enterprises continue to grow. They are unable to really locate a simple way to acquire their own home because these individuals are still working to assure their accomplishment.
- 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.
According to Madison in Federalist #10, “The fundamental goal of the government is the protection of these talents.” In fact, the government’s first goal is to understand the basic disparities between the social classes since they help distinguish between people who are bright and those who are not. This doesn’t surprise me because the wealthy are still protected in society today, particularly when it comes to the highest court, why? Because they are the wealthy and only individuals who can afford to access justice today are those who have access to it. People who are impoverished are treated worse than those who are extremely wealthy, and those who lack the means to post bail spend months in jail before their case is heard. A wealthy individual may afford their release, keep their job, and get ready for court at home while a poor person wouldn’t have the same resources.
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…
Given the current political climate, it is not surprising to me that federalist #10 opposes democracy. Because he is from the upper class, the author James Madison is opposed to democracy. Consequently, a democratic system of governance would not be advantageous to his business ambitions. True democracy terrified the founding fathers so if the people banded together, it would imply that they would not be able to hold as much power. They favored a republican representative far more.
