• The word faction reminds me of social classes and groups with different interests. Throughout the readings, we talked about how wealthy people and poor people often wanted different things because their lives and interests were different.
  • According to Federalist #10, wealth comes from people’s different faculties. I understand faculties to mean abilities, skills, talents, and what people are capable of doing. Madison seems to believe that some people gain more property and wealth because they have different abilities that allow them to acquire it. People who do not gain as much property end up having less wealth. This explanation shows that Madison believed differences in wealth came from differences between people and their abilities.
  • I only partly agree with this explanation. People’s skills and abilities can affect how much money they make, but I do not think that is the only reason some people are wealthy and others are poor. Things like opportunities, education, where someone is born, and the resources available to them can also make a big difference.
  • Madison says the first object of government is to protect the different faculties of acquiring property. In other words, one of the government’s main jobs is to protect people’s right to own property and wealth. This surprised me a little because today we often hear that the government’s purpose is to serve all people, provide services, protect rights, and promote equality.
  • After reading Federalist #10, I am not surprised that Madison supported a republic instead of a pure democracy. He seemed worried that a majority of people, especially those without property, could come together and make decisions that would hurt people who owned wealth and property. A republic puts decision making in the hands of elected representatives instead of having people vote directly on everything. From a class perspective, it seems like Madison believed this would better protect the interests of property owners and keep one group from gaining too much power over another.

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