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

The concept of ‘faction’ reminds me of the social class conflict, Groups with conflicting interests are known as factions, and they may be founded on political, social, or economic differences. Marxists use the term “class struggle” to describe the conflict between different economic classes with conflicting interests, like the bourgeoisie capitalist class and the proletariate working 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)? 

According to Madison, a person’s abilities such as their labor, skills, and effort are important factors that determine their financial success. He also links wealth to personal characteristics. He states that a person’s ability to gain wealth depends mostly on their level of intellectual and practical skill; as a result, those who have these essential traits are more likely to be wealthy, while those who do not are caught in poverty cycles.

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

I disagree with Madison’s explanation of wealth and poverty. While a person’s abilities, such as labor, skills, and effort, can definitely shape financial success, this viewpoint overlooks the broader structural factors that influence wealth distribution. Social, economic, and political systems all have an impact on an individual’s chances and outcomes, often in ways that are separate from of individual effort or skill.

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 means that the government’s main goal is to protect private property and wealth. I’m not surprised at this, it’s something that is put right in our faces all the time, I don’t expect much from a government that never cared about people.

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

I’m not surprised that Madison isn’t in favor of democracy, why would people want to give up wealth to people they believe are below them? They fear the minority taking power and doing to them what they do to us. No one ever wants to be the underdog. 

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

Faction reminds of political ideology which is where people share common beliefs, ideas and interest which according to J. Madison arose from unequal distribution of property or wealth. 

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 by James Madison, the source of wealth that is private property was discussed as the diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate. However, for the upper classes they had the opportunity of owning properties and factories. The upper class have advantages of private hospitals, better education systems (private schools) and resources. Therefore, it was the unequal distribution of facilities. Overall, faculties referred to natural skills and talents which led for the upper class to be successful.

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

I do agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty because the upper class have talents, skills and the resources while others may struggle to meet that level because of lack of resources, talent, skill and struggle to meet their economic needs.

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.

According to Federalist #10, the core mission “first object” of the US government is to protect and secure the rights of its citizens and also property, “From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately result. 

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’m not surprised that Federalist #10 leans more towards or in favor and support of the Republican representative form of government because it’s controlling the effects of faction and fulfilling promises to the American people. The purpose is to maintain the economic system and social class. The author dislikes a pure democratic form of government because “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 no cure for the mischiefs of faction . .”

1) The word “faction” reminds me of social classes because both refer to groups of people that have different political interests and power. In early America, the wealthy elite had control over the government and the poor majority were excluded from political decisions. We see this in the current state of U.S. politics more than ever where groups of people are constantly fighting for representation in government policies. 
2) According to Federalist Paper #10, James Madison argues that the source of wealth originates from “the diversity in the faculties of men”, meaning one’s abilities, talents, and capacities. Madison believed that some people were simply more skilled, hardworking, or capable than others, which allowed them to gain wealth and property. Because of these differences in ability, some people become rich while others remain poor. This shows that the framers of the U.S. Constitution thought economic inequality was natural and unavoidable.

3) I do not agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty as I believe it spreads the false narrative that the wealthy deserve their success and the poor are just incapable. People in poverty are less likely to have access to the same education and opportunities as the wealthy because of unfair economic systems and discrimination. Hard work and having certain skills can help an individual succeed, but to say those who are in poverty are just lazy or not smart enough is just blatant ignorance of the economic state of the country, even today. 
4) The “first object” of the U.S. government is to protect property rights. This means the government’s main job is to make sure that people who own wealth and property can keep it. This is a bit funny because today, we get told that the government’s purpose is to protect freedom or democracy while the U.S. government still works under the same framework established by the Constitution. The framers of the Constitution were quite literally afraid of democracy and were worried about wealth distribution, which makes you think about the integrity of the current government. 

5) I’m not surprised that Federalist #10 isn’t in favor of democracy. Madison and the other framers believed that if ordinary people (like the poor) had too much power, they would pass laws that took wealth away from the elite. He preferred a republican form of government because it would allow the wealthy and educated to stay in control while preventing the common people from making radical changes. This connects to the earlier discussion about social classes because the government was designed to serve the interests of the property-owning class, not the working poor.

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

From my understanding and after reading the article, Faction would be similar/ reminds me of the social classes how everyone is placed in different class based on their income or other interests. Based on the article, is signifies faction as By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, 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.

2) According to Federalist #10 (written by James Madison), what is the sourceof 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), James Madison identifies the unequal distributions of properties which is the most common source of factions. Some individuals inherit wealth or they have access to capital which includes money and property, which allows them to acquire property while others lack the resources and struggle to afford it.

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

I do agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty, it gives us a wider understanding as to the wealthy having the ability to obtain their property while the poor they have to work hard for it. Even though it is wrong because the poor have to work hard for a property that is given to the wealthy people at the end of the day.

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 (first object) of the US government is the protection of facilities. It doesn’t surprise me in today’s society mainly because the wealthy people are still over powering a lot of rights and the lower classes has no voice or saying in anything. At the end of the day, the believe that because they have all this money they can do whatever it takes, whenever and how they would like the outcome of it.

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

I’m not surprised at all, just as much as how they view lower class people as struggling and upper class people as being wealthy, I wouldn’t say they look down on others but favoritism somewhat plays a huge role in these selections as it varies for everyone. They dislike a pure democratic form of government because they don’t like peace and happiness within everyone and I do believe we all have a voice and it should be heard, it also reflects back on how they view people in society these days as upper and lower and how they both get treated and welcomed differently.

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

The concept of ‘faction’ reminds me of the social class conflict, which was also discussed in readings 6.1 an 6.2. Social class conflict is the struggle between different economic groups in society, specifically the elite and the working class. In both readings, the authors discuss how the elites were concerned about power struggles between different economic groups. And in reading 6.3, the author discusses how factions are groups of people who share a common interest or goal that conflicts with the overall good of society. This illustrates the fear of the elites towards the lower class who could unite to threaten their property and wealth.

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….”

Madison explains that the source of wealth is level skill, ambition, and capability and these factors determine someone’s ability to acquire wealth. His reasoning that those who are intelligent will acquire wealth and those who lack it will remain poor.

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

I don’t agree with James Madison’s expiation of wealth and poverty. One’s intelligence, level of skill, ambition, or capability is not an indicator that someone has or will get access to wealth. There are many people who are intelligent and don’t have easy access to gain wealth. Majority of wealth in America is either from privilege, inherited, systemic barriers and injustices. America government was set up to insure that white men maintain power while other groups struggle to even reach that level of power in America. With slavery, racial discrimination, lack of access to education, etc.

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 (‘first object’) of the US government means that the government main goal is to protect private property and wealth. I’m not surprised by this at all. Although the government tries to promote fairness, democracy, and public welfare, this isn’t really the reality of our country. As much as we hope for equality and justice, we can’t really expect it from a government that was built to protect the interest and power of wealthy elites.

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

I am honestly not surprised that the Federalist #10 is not in the favor of democracy and supports a Republican form of government. Madison dislikes a democracy because he is concerned that it would leave to tyranny of the majority. Not only that, but he fears that democrat would also cause majority to vote in favor of redistributing wealth or testing policies which would disrupt social order.

1. Faction reminds me of the concept of social class, specifically the working class within social classes.Factions are described as groups of individuals whether the minority or majority that are united due to common interests/grievances that conflict with the rights of others or hinders the well-being of society.This reminds me of how social classes function, they are often groups of individuals with shared economic interests (either the working class or wealthy elite)who often advocate for policies that benefit their specific group.
2. The main source of wealth is identified as the diversity in the faculties of mean, this meaning that individuals’ natural talents and abilities allow them to gather wealth.These natural differences among people ultimately lead to unequal wealth distribution, as varying skills and talents have a large influence on career choices and economic strategies.These faculties causing different results amongst individuals in gaining wealth and property.
3. I honestly don’t agree with this explanation of wealth/poverty.While yes it’s true that talents and strengths vary among individuals across the United States, most people with similar abilities end up in extremely different social classes.Many times, those in lower social classes face societal barriers that limit their opportunities and chances of using their strengths the same way as others in higher social classes do.
4. According to Madison the first object of the government is protecting the right of property, this not being surprising as it reflects the found fathers main priority of securing individual economic interests.Meanwhile, the current governments main focus at the time is public safety and social welfare, so instead of solely protecting what is already had by citizens, the government is now working on providing citizens with the opportunities and resources they should already have.
5. It isn’t at all surprising that Madison favored a Republican government opposed to a pure democracy.Based off of Madison’s beliefs, a republic would better suit handling factional conflicts and protect property of private owners from potential threats proposed by the majority.Whereas, in a pure democracy the majority would be made up of the working class citizens and would be able to unite and redistribute wealth (fairly) and undermine property rights, all of these things not sitting right with Madison at all.

1. From what context does faction remind you? The modern idea of “faction” mentioned in Federalist #10 relates to social class divisions and economic interests. These two concepts are discussed by both Parenti and Beard. Beard believes that the Constitution was written by the wealthy elite for their purposes, and being a member of a political faction had something to do with being of a certain economic class. Parenti takes this one step further and argues that factions aren’t simply a group of people with different opinions— they usually symbolize a struggle between the rich and the poor. The upper class, consisting of landowners, bankers, and merchants, formed factions to protect their interests, while the working class and small farmers never had political power.

2. Where does this wealth (private property) come from, and why do some people have it and others not?

In Federalist #10, Madison claims that wealth (private property) arises from natural abilities or faculties that differ among men. However, according to Beard and Parenti, that is a convenient explanation that ignores real and obvious ways of acquiring wealth: privilege, inheritance, and law and policy benefitting the rich. 

Beard argues that many framers of the Constitution were already wealthy at the time the Constitution was written, and they passed the law conceiving the protection of their economic interests. The government gave them land; it enforced their contracts favoring the creditors versus the debtors; and it provided the conditions for the rich to remain in power. Parent argues against the prevailing notion that wealth is a result simply of hard work or even talent. He argues for a view that sees capitalism creating conditions for inequality because of the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, on account of exploiting the labor of the workers. The rich remain rich not merely because of their ability, for the very maintenance of their position depends on keeping a system that keeps them in power. 

3. Do you go along with that understanding of wealth and poverty?

Beard and Parenti will scarcely agree with Madison because wealth is naturally linked to talent or intelligence. Instead, they will show how laws and policies favor one group against another. In reality, many members of the poor class work as hard as the rich do, but land, education, and financial resource access are things denied them.

Take, for example, the early U.S. government granting land and legal protection to wealthy men; poor farmers and workers had little political voice. Today, large corporations and well-to-do individuals influence government policy through lobbying and campaign donations to defeat lower-income people. It means the question of poverty is not just about individual effort; it is also about how economic and political systems are structured.

4. The core mission or first object of the U.S. government establishes what the government is. Madison, in Federalist 10, propounds that the government shall ensure the protection of private property. This is easily surprising for it seems today that one thinks of government in terms of protecting rights, enforcing justice, and enabling public services.

But then again, Beard and Parenti say, that is not all there is to property protection. That is simply another way of talking fair and just. It was keeping power in the hands of the wealthy. Many of the framers of this Constitution landowners and creditors could reasonably think that some degree of democracy would mean the poor could get at their wealth. That is why they created a government that, as far as they could, was to protect the economic elite.

Even now, according to Parenti, the government favors corporations and rich people in tax breaks corporate subsidies, or laws that weaken unions. This takes us back to the claim that the government was as good as it is now in protecting wealth, just as during the time of writing the Constitution.

5. Why does Federalist No. 10 oppose pure democracy and favor a republic?

Beard and Parenti would argue that, in his opposition to pure democracy, Madison is imagining a state in which the majority would possess political power-borrowing from the elite, even more so from the filthy rich.

One could vote for very taxing rates over the rich or a debt policy for farmers, given that it’s shaped by a simple majority. But that was just what the rich elites composing the Convention did not want. Instead, Madison supported a republic, where elected representatives make decisions. This was a method to filter power through elites who would act in their economic interests rather than in the interests of the majority.

Beard shows that many of these representatives were themselves wealthy landowners or merchants, so the system was set up to keep their interests safe. Parenti argues that this fear of democracy must still have an echo in our day. Today, even with more people entitled to vote, money still controls the apparatus of politics. Rich individuals and corporations use campaign donations, lobbying, and media influence on government policy to work in their favor. So, while the U.S. appears to be a democracy, it works in a way that protects the interests of the rich as Federalist #10 intended.

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

The word faction reminds me of the concept of laborers. The affluent who wrote the constitution are the capitalists and the faction are the laborers.

• 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….”

The source of wealth according to Madison is a person’s abilities: their labor, skills, and their effort. However, some people have access to more resources than others. This unequal distribution of resources creates an uneven playing field. The people with more resources continue to acquire more resources that help obtain more wealth. Inversely, those with less resources must work harder and longer to keep what they have with very little opportunity to gain any more.

• Do you agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty?

I do agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty in the general sense. I read an article of a young lady who started a very successful company. And the two- or three-page article had one sentence that said, the business was started by a gift of $100k from her father. Well, let’s just glaze over that like it wasn’t the most important factor. She had resources. Therefore, she was able to build on those resources. Those with less resources spend their time trying to acquire the $100k and may never even get the business started. Of course, there are those exceptional people who have risen from the most unfavorable circumstances to achieve greatness. However, those instances are rear.

• 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 “the protection of these faculties”: the government should protect the abilities of those who do have from those who can’t have. This doesn’t surprise me at all. I think this core mission is not different that government’s core mission today. There was a wave of mortgage fraud throughput the county in the early two-thousands. The secondary mortgage market were fraudulently packaging subprime loans as A paper. The individuals on the loan origination level were convicted of crimes. The institutions were awarded a multi-billion-dollar stimulus package. This allowed them to continue conducting business .

• 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…

A true democracy would give the power to the masses. A republic gives power to small percentage of the overall population. The small group (group) who make the laws for the democracy are subject to the intentions of the small group (republic).

DB 6.2

1. The concept that comes to mind is the ideology of socialism. Even farmers in the revolutionary days sold their farming services for money to improve their products. Additionally, the lower class operated under a C-M-C model.
   
   
2. The source of wealth that Madison discusses is the unequal distribution of resources such as land, labor, & capital. People get wealth at the time when they owned land and there was lots of it., slaves. What he meant by faculties is the intelligence & education of the person, economic determinism/ social reproduction.  
   
   
3. I don’t agree with it because it has created a significant disadvantage for citizens. The current model appears to follow the M-C-M (Money-Commodity-Money) structure as well. Today, wealthy individuals have many more investment opportunities, while in the past, developing countries had very limited options. Through various rules and tricks, citizens are dealt with a bad hand and struggle to maintain an affordable way of living. Additionally, measuring wealth by slave ownership in the past is extremely unjust.
   
   
4. The Constitution’s core mission is to promote the general welfare of its citizens. It is not surprising that those with less wealth have always struggled to support themselves.
   
   
5. I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I’m learning in this class and I appreciate the information I’m receiving. However, I’m not surprised by how systems operate within our country. I support the idea of establishing a better economic system that benefits our current class. I believe that the wealthy should not maintain that level of power. However, for any significant change to occur, the rest of the nation would have to unite to challenge the government, which is unlikely to happen.