Posted on by Kevin Hernandez

Discussion Board 6.2 – Kevin Hernandez

1. I am reminded of the capitalist and working class concept within the creation of the constitution. They are two different factions where the capitalist class are the minority who have the most influence and power united for their interests adverse to the rights of the ordinary citizens. And the working class is the majority united by the struggle of the equality of rights and say in the government role of American society. 

2. The source of wealth is what you inherit at birth if you’re poor or rich(Generational). This can lead to unequal distribution of wealth with different interests and parties from both factions. It is the government regulations that differ protection and help to one faction than the other from acquiring property(private wealth).

3. I don’t agree with this expansion of wealth and property as the elite wealth are allies with the government. It is one sided for them to inherit and maintain this level of private wealth. Some instances can be where the government excludes the elite wealth from being taxed and limited from buying up more private property. Unlike the working class people who don’t have that level of wealth to start or even maintain from being taxed and in debt over time.

4. The core mission of the US Government is to protect the interests and rights of having private property for both factions being the elite wealthy and the working class. It does not surprise me as this still holds true in today’s society. It persists with the working class being in burden from taxes and debts while trying to make a living in a 9-5 workday. Meanwhile the elite wealthy like the delegates of the constitution work to maintain the anarchy of the working class to a degree while not overlooking what problems may arise if they themselves get carried away with their exploitation and excess of private wealth. 

5. I am not surprised of that Federalist #10 not being in favour of democracy instead favouring a republican form of government as the ideal government of the delegates wouldn’t hold the main power to assemble and administer in person privately as they would want. With the pretext that they represent and stand on behalf of the people when in reality they are more protected to hide their true interests in wealth and power. This would be the people’s role instead in a democracy. The delegates would lose power and make way for the rise in power of the working class to replace them in a sense of what is best for the country. If the delegates could hold power by controlling the effects of both factions while representing a prospect that promises a solution for both factions then this method of a republic would be enjoyed by a large majority as it has been for a long time.

Posted on by April Gonzalez

DB 6.2 by April Gonzalez

  1. The faction reminds me of the movie Divergent but examples in today’s society are feminist or BLM who fight for justice and equality, factions as described by Madison were seen as bad and inherently disruptive in a republic. “Groups made up of 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, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.”
  2. According to Federalist # 10 the source of wealth is based in racism. Rich people essentially are and remain rich because on their supposed superior intelligent that only superior white men genetically have over the inferior intelligence of women and people of color and that’s is why those people are and remain poor. Wealth today is often passed down through generations, making it difficult for marginalized communities to break free from cycles of poverty.
  3. I do not agree with the explanation by James Madison as I know intelligence is not based on one’s race or sex. We can find individuals of superior intelligence from all walks of life. The real reason wealth remains in the powers of mostly white men is because the system was rigged from the beginning to keep it that way.  Instead of partnering with the native American Indians and teaching them ways to utilize their resources they stole them and when they learned themselves they murdered them and took it. Same as black Wall Street and systematic racism. At this point its generational wealth that sustains some of the most idiotic white men in power today.
  4. As written in Federalist No. 10 “the first object of government is the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property. The haves” were primarily concerned with preserving their economic interests and ensuring that their class would maintain control over the government and it remains the case today. This does not surprise me wealth and power tends to lead to increase greed and a decreased focus on empathy and social concerns.
  5. I am not surprised that the authors of Federalist #10 are not in favor of a pure democracy, as they believed that direct democracy could lead to the tyranny of the majority, where the passions of the majority would trample the rights of the minority, particularly the wealthy. A pure democracy is one where power is vested directly in the people, which the framers feared could result in policies that threatened their economic interests and property. Instead, they preferred a republican form of government, where elected representatives would make decisions on behalf of the people, theoretically protecting the interests of the elite. In the context of social classes, this structure helped ensure that the wealthy—who were seen as more educated and capable—remained in control of the nation’s governance, preventing the property-less majority from enacting policies that might undermine the status quo. If the government were more democratic, there would be a risk that the wealthy might have to give up some of their wealth, which they were deeply reluctant to do. The Electoral College and gerrymandering, for example, serve to preserve this balance of power and prevent too much direct influence from the general population.
Posted on by Arto Artinian · 2 Comments

Discussion Board 6.2

  1. What concept that we have already discussed does “faction” remind you of?
  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….”
  3. Do you agree with this explanation of wealth and poverty?
  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.
  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…