1. What concept that we have already discussed does “faction” remind you of?

The writer of section #10 of the Federalist Papers defines Faction as “a number of citizens..amounting to a majority or minority of the whole …united and actuated by some common impulse of passion or of interest” this definition sounds very similar to that of a political party and social class. Political parties are united by a common interest or passion or in their case a political view. Social classes aren’t an exact union they are connected through their position in society and experience mostly the same hardships or leisure if referring to the owning class.

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 less….”

Part 1: According to James Madison in Federalist #10 What is the source of wealth?

At the time the primary source of wealth for the owning class was property wealth. Owning private property allowed business owners to profit heavily.-Especially since the United States was just starting to become a country.

This bought business owners a unique advantage to be the ones communities relied on for they were the first businesses to be established. This of course allowed the rich to become extremely rich and the poor to be solely dependent on their ability to create an opportunity for work and products.

3. Do you agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty?

Yes. Owning something that can be handy or provides a necessity puts you in a higher position than others. People become reliant on your service or business. This is beneficial to those who are gaining profit, but it can restrict those who are workers and those who are reliant on the product (or service). Given that this individual is in such a position of power, it can be played with and those who are reliant are toyed with. If the individual wants to gain more money he can lower their worker’s wages and raise the price of a service or product. This is the unfairness present in the system that divides the uneven distribution of wealth and why extreme poverty is present in societies where it shouldn’t be.

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 federalist papers reads in a way that it wouldn’t be the same political system present in England. It showed loyalty toward its citizens “Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens, equally the friends of public and private faith, and of public and personal liberty”. It showed an interest in the protection of citizens and highlight the injustice they experience by those abusing power. I was not surprised by this writing but it was interesting to read someone in a position of power to say something that pulls attention to those who are acting corrupt in their standing. Needless to say, it does sound drastically distant from the core mission of today’s society. Though the government has been changing and things are trying hard to progress. The misdistribution of wealth has been one of the most impacting forces in America’s society.

1. What concept that we have already discussed does “faction” remind you of?

Faction reminds me of the lesson we had on what is an ideology. The faction is similar to the conversation of liberals and conservatives. In the reading it talks about the views of the two groups of people. This is displayed in the reading when it states “who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.”

1. 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….”

Well in the reading J. Madison states “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.” Which indicates people who have money and land are ones who should run legislation. He also stated, “The effect of the first difference is, on the one hand, to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country, and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations. Under such a regulation, it may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the representatives of the people, will be more consonant to the public good than if pronounced by the people themselves,” which to me means a person who is wise and holds knowledge is a person who would makes the best decisions.

So overall the source of wealth is to have money, property and smartness.

1. Do you agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty?

I somewhat agree with this explanation of wealth. A person who has property and money but does not have knowledge as to how to maintain it can lose it all and fall into poverty. A person who has all three possesses the knowledge to maintain wealth. Now where the somewhat agreeance comes in is that there are many smart people who does not own property or money. I guess than do we really have the knowledge needed in order to gain wealth.

1. 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.

Based on the reading the core mission of the government is to protect faculties. Yes this is similar to our society today. The rich gets rich and the poor stays or become poorer. There are many rules and regulations in place that help protect the rich and their property. They receive many tax breaks and are not taxed as much as the poor people. Also when it comes to placing people in government they always talk about helping poor communities but you never see a change. Instead you see gentrification and the rise in prices of the cost of living mean while people are working for a minimum rate that cannot pay the bills. The corporations makes the profit.

1. 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 d the author dislike a (pure) democratic form of government? Hint: think about how this question connects with the social classes…

The author of the Federalist 10 appears to have an interest in the government being run by people that possess knowledge and has wealth and property. He believes that if the government remains republic then there is a way to keep a control on the factions. With democracy it provides all with a voice and he believes people cannot govern themselves .

1.) “Factions,” as written about in Federalist #10, remind me of the working class. More specifically, they call to mind the owning class’ view of the working class, class consciousness, solidarity, and rebellion; something that must be contained and controlled, for the benefit of the owning class.

2-3.) According to Federalist #10, the source of wealth is a person’s mental faculties. The only people who can become wealthy are those who are intelligent enough to find ways to do so. Intelligence was viewed as genetic, and heavily determined by race and sex.

I profoundly disagree with this explanation of wealth and poverty. It is inherently classist, racist, and sexist. It has no basis in science whatsoever. Many people are born into wealth and are not intelligent. Additionally, many wealthy people are intelligent only in that they are good at finding ways to exploit people. There are many different types of intelligence, and such a broad explanation is false and harmful.

4.) Governments first objective, according to Federalist #10, is “the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property.” That is, the protection of the rich’s (who are of superior intelligence) abilities to get rich, stay rich, and grow wealth. Protected, of course, against the interests of the poor, working class, viewed as inherently less intelligent. While this did sort of shock me at first, as it sunk in I was less surprised.

Society does not acknowledge this as the purpose of our government. Politicians commonly sell themselves as allies of the people. However, outside of some progressives, many of the establishment democrats and republicans often try to convince the public that the ultra rich (and subsequently their interests) are allies of the people, and that the pursuit of wealth is most important over everything. Because of the donations of corporations and billionaires, ultimately our government does work to protect their interests and their ability to grow more wealthy.

5. ) Federalist #10’s aversion to democracy is no surprise given the beliefs laid out in the text. A democratic government gives everyone, the working class included, the right to vote. Because of Madison’s classist belief that the working class were inherently unintelligent, it makes sense that he would not want them to have the power that they would under a democracy. Madison believed that democracy could not control the “mischief” of a faction. A republic “refines” the views of the public through elected officials, who posses their idea of intelligence, and who “best discern their country’s true interests.” Through a republic, the wealthy (who are smarter) are still allowed to have a disproportionate control of the government.

1. When I hear the faction concept, I automatically think of James Madison and how he defines it as a number of citizens (political party) where the two parties the democratic and the republic are organizing to for example work government out or work to win elections. 

2. For example the source of wealth (private property) includes business owner interests, it was stated in the reading Federalist Paper #10 “the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests.” This factor explains why some people get to possess wealth by owning private property, and others don’t because of interests, unequal faculties, and from the influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors. 

3. I do not agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty because of how the poor remain poor and how wealthy people keep increasing their wealth by possessing wealth by owning private property. 

4. “The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is no less an insuperable obstacle to a uniformity of interests.” When these faculties are protected, it is considered to be the first object. 

5. Given the discussion in questions 1-4, I’m not surprised that Federalist #10 is not in favor of democracy, and supports a Republican form of government because of the fact that if Federalist #10 was a democracy then the authority would be a major problem. The author disliked a purely democratic form of government because the author knows that the people will fight who will be at the top. Going back to faction, the citizens that Madison referred to will argue not just for their rights but for what will benefit them. This is why the citizens did not do the decision-making because he knows what will happen then.

1. A concept that we have already discussed that fraction reminds me off is
2. According to James Madison wealth is owning property. The factor that explains why some people get to posses wealth and others don’t is that the founding fathers view the non land owing class as having their own interest and views. They believe these interest and views do not align with the people who already have a hold of wealth. Thus the wealthy do not believe people from a lower class could make decisions that are in the best interest of the wealthy class if they came from no wealth.
3. I do agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty because it is still present in todays society. Many wealthy people own land and many wealthy people do not believe people who are non land owners have the same interests and desires as them. This leads to the wealthy pushing for laws that benefit them just as the founding fathers did.
4. The core mission of the US Government or the first object is to protect the property owning class from having different and unequal individuals obtain or take their land. It is to protect the wealthy class from being intruded by the non wealthy class. It is very different from what todays society suggest the core mission of the constitution is. Todays society’s suggest the constitution was made to established justice and freedom for all. In reality it was created to do the exact opposite. It was designed to protect the individuals who created it and to keep the people who did not create it as outsiders.
5. I am not surprised that the Federalist #10 is not in favor of a democracy. The founding fathers were very afraid of a true democracy. It would mean they would not be able to hold as much power if the people came together. They much more supported a republican representation. They supported this because it made it easer for them to bend the rules in their favor and keep them in charge of the masses. A pure democratic government would give to many people a voice, allowing for the masses to adjust the constitution in ways that would not benefit the people it was created for.

1. What concept that we have already discussed does “faction” remind you of?

Faction is by definition a grouping of individuals, especially within a political organization, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A group formed to seek some goal within a political party or a government. Faction remind me of the concept ideology which is a set of beliefs or philosophies attributed to a person or group of persons. Some times in the faction there is conflict between members of the same organization. The conflict divide these members based on distinct interests.

1. 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….”

By definition faculties mean abilities for a person, natural or acquired, for a particular kind of action. Per Madison some people get to possess wealth because of their faculty. They get to acquire land because of their power, intelligence. On the other hand, those who stay without property do not have the abilities that the ones who own have. The text of Michael Parenti stated that from colonial men of influence received vast land grants which make them become property owner. Therefore, all property owner became the wealthiest in the country and the ones almost no property became the poor. Now, with the Constitution the Federalist proposed laws the were explicitly defending their interests. This format consistently increase the gap because the owning class and the laboring class.

1. Do you agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty?

I agree in the sense that faculty is an inherent capability, power, or function. Because if you were born Indians, African descent, women, indentures servants, you have no right of having property. In other words, it is like God created you to be poor. It is like people that are wealthy they have a talent for that. People that are poor don’t have this talent.

1. 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 is the right to life, liberty, economic freedom, and the “pursuit of happiness.” It is the purpose of government to protect these rights, and it may not place unfair or unreasonable restraints on their exercise. Many of these rights are enumerated in the Bill of Rights. The Federalist suggest that the core mission is to resolves problems among the citizens, protect commercial interests, defend the wealthy class against the others. Nowadays, the US tend to favorized more the wealthy comparing to the labor class. In reality, however, policy has mostly gone the other way. Tax rates on corporation and high income have gone down, unions have been crushed, the minimum wage, adjusted for inflation, is lower than it was in 1960.

1. 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 d the author dislike a (pure) democratic form of government? Hint: think about how this question connects with the social classes…

In democracies where the majority rules, people make decisions by majority power and while the majority knows what the right thing to do is. The majority places its own immediate wants above what is right.  For a society to protect the public welfare the society must be able to do what is right, which the majority cannot do in other words the working class. “No man is allowed to be a judge in his own case because his interests will certainly bias his judgment and corrupt his integrity”. Therefore a republic is better than a democracy per the Federalist.  It controls all factions while democracies can only control small and inconsequential factions.  It protects the public’s integrity by letting representatives make mistakes while leaving the public free to punish the representatives for the consequences of the mistakes the representatives make that are not consistent with the general and public welfare. The Federalist would never support a democracy because In a Democracy, the individual, and any group of individuals composing any minority, have no protection against the unlimited power of the majority. It would be impractical to administer an entire country if people had to have a direct vote on every issue.

DISCUSSION BOARD 6.2

1. The two classes were rich and poor. Because in one of the readings you have to make a certain amount of money to vote the only person who was allowed to vote was nonminority and the poor were not allowed to vote.
2. I would say it is different because African Americans and every other race can go out and vote in the United States.
3. The reason why they were afraid was that they realize that the house of Representatives revise some of the laws and whoever was not allowed to vote they have the opportunity to vote.

1.) A “faction” is considered to be political parties that consist of citizens that are motivated and united due to having common interests, whilst it is unfavorable to the rights of other citizens or the community. With this definition in mind, I believe that the concept that we have already discussed is political ideology. There are two groups; the conservatives and liberals who each have their own opinion on various matters, especially when it comes to the government. While one fears too much involvement from the government hinders American citizens ability to have “independence,” the other would not be in favor for it because they have a different perspectives on the matter.

2.) According to Federalist #10 by James Madison, the source of wealth that they discuss is due to the various “property owning levels” or the amount of valuable property one owns to establish their wealth on the social class spectrum. This will then keep a difference in thinking amongst men because while some have, others do not. The factor that that explains why some people get to posses wealth whilst others do not is an unequal distribution of property.

3.) I agree with Madison’s explanation of wealth and poverty because when you think of our society today, people who own property that is valuable such as business or corporation can ensure their wealth continues. Many of their businesses continue to multiply because they have individuals who are of lower class to work for them for pay that does not match the amount of work they do. By having these kinds of individuals continuing to ensure their success, they are unable to truly find an easy means of gaining their own property. Their pays are just enough to cover their personal expenses and they cannot afford to take a day off or else it deducts from the amount they need.

4.) The core mission or “first objective” of the United States government is the protection of property rights. This being the first priority of the government does not surprise me because the constitution was created solely due to social class, more specifically the upper class or the white men who owned property. They would want the government to ensure that they seek to protect their property because it is worth valuable money and continues their wealth. This does not sound different from what our society today seems to think the core mission of the government is because we still have a society that is shaped largely around the concept of social class. The rich seem to be getting richer and as the years go by, the amount of people that fall into the category’s of being not as wealthy continues to grow.

5.) Considering the questions and the discussion revolving around Federalist #10’s perspective, I am not surprised that they are not in favor of democracy and supports a Republican form of government. I say this because considering that there wasn’t a lot of people who owned property, the few that did had enough power to ensure that their money spoke for them. James Madison spoke about the concept of “faction,” which includes the division of people who believe in certain things. Clearly they would obviously pick a side as well. On the other hand, they would not want a pure form of democratic government because the upper class would suffer. Pure democracy is a democracy where the decisions are not made by the representatives but instead, be voted by the people. When we speak about social classes, the vast majority of people make up everything else besides the upper class. Since people are compose of different classes, their wants and needs would not be the same. For instance, upper class individuals would want the government would want to oversee protection for property whilst someone is of working class would prefer government help for financial means. All in all, people want to look out for their own best interests and want to see that it actually is being considered.

1. “Faction” is the number of people whether it be the majority or minority who have certain commonalities and stick together to promote and protect their interests. Factions reminds me of the government that we have today and the past topics of the working class and the capitalist who are able to stay wealthy. It reminds me have how the capitalist who are the 1% and the amount of power they have in not only maintaining their power and wealth but making sure that it stays generational.
2. According to the Federalist #10 the source of wealth (private property) is the unequal distribution of property and maintaining the factions or making sure that the country’s interest comes before those who have their own self interest. Those who are in a position to make laws will continue to stay wealthy because those laws are best suited for them and not those who are poor. The poor will remain poor because there is always that threat of the government that will continue to restrict them from gaining wealth.
3. This explanation of wealth and poverty is correct and I do agree with it. It very evident in today’s society in how the governments works in protection liberty and those who have property. Those who are in the working class are staying a the threshold that keeps them at the very social class that they started at.
4. The core mission of the government was to keep properties and wealth were it is at and continue to protect those who have property. Those who are born in the class that already have wealth and property will continue to be in that class. The governments mission is also to protect liberty and to protect the republic over democracy.
5. I am not surprised that the Federalist #10 is not in favor of democracy and supports a republican form of government. The government even in today’s society is about looking at factions as problematic, and seeing democracy as a threat. A strong government can protect liberty and find ways to eliminate factions which is inevitable because as its states in Federalist #10 “There are two methods of curing the mischiefs of faction: the one, by removing its causes; the other, by controlling its effects.”