Federalists :: American History, Madison, Factions

James Madison was a very intelligent man and was one of the forefathers for our country. In Madison’s Federalist Paper Number 10 he describes the need to control factions in the United States and how the government is to do so. The Federalist papers are a key point in describing how to control â€Å"factions† that are so dangerous to the young government, or so Madison feels. In Madison’s paper he clearly lays out his idea on the sources of factions, his feelings on democracy versus a republic, and how to control factions. To Madison factions, or groups of citizens with mal-intent for the new government, are a threat to the new government and it is impossible to find an acceptable remedy. Madison considers both liberty and the idea of having opposing opinions to be the key sources to factions. This also proves to be the reason why factions can never be eradicated completely. To Madison there are â€Å"two methods of removing the causes of faction: the on, by destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence; the other, by giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests.†(pg. A21) Of course both of these ideas are completely preposterous because they are impossible to be had. Removing liberty in the words of James Madison would be â€Å"worse than the disease† (pg. A21) because of the pure fact that to abolish liberty would be to abolish everything fought for in the American Revolution. Madison compares liberty to air in that removing it would rid of the fire, factions, but also kill every life, so basically it is a lose-lose situation. The latter idea of Madison is to basically have everyone think in a homogenous manner, which of course is impracticable. As Madison puts it â€Å"As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed† (pg. A22) Men will always have a difference of opinion because we are always influenced by reason and self-love. Madison continues saying that the causes of factions are â€Å"thus sown in the nature of man† (pg. A22) and all we can do is try to control factions but it is impossible to rid of them completely. The federalist paper continues on to Madison’s feelings about having a democracy versus a republic and which he feels is a better decision. Federalists :: American History, Madison, Factions James Madison was a very intelligent man and was one of the forefathers for our country. In Madison’s Federalist Paper Number 10 he describes the need to control factions in the United States and how the government is to do so. The Federalist papers are a key point in describing how to control â€Å"factions† that are so dangerous to the young government, or so Madison feels. In Madison’s paper he clearly lays out his idea on the sources of factions, his feelings on democracy versus a republic, and how to control factions. To Madison factions, or groups of citizens with mal-intent for the new government, are a threat to the new government and it is impossible to find an acceptable remedy. Madison considers both liberty and the idea of having opposing opinions to be the key sources to factions. This also proves to be the reason why factions can never be eradicated completely. To Madison there are â€Å"two methods of removing the causes of faction: the on, by destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence; the other, by giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests.†(pg. A21) Of course both of these ideas are completely preposterous because they are impossible to be had. Removing liberty in the words of James Madison would be â€Å"worse than the disease† (pg. A21) because of the pure fact that to abolish liberty would be to abolish everything fought for in the American Revolution. Madison compares liberty to air in that removing it would rid of the fire, factions, but also kill every life, so basically it is a lose-lose situation. The latter idea of Madison is to basically have everyone think in a homogenous manner, which of course is impracticable. As Madison puts it â€Å"As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed† (pg. A22) Men will always have a difference of opinion because we are always influenced by reason and self-love. Madison continues saying that the causes of factions are â€Å"thus sown in the nature of man† (pg. A22) and all we can do is try to control factions but it is impossible to rid of them completely. The federalist paper continues on to Madison’s feelings about having a democracy versus a republic and which he feels is a better decision.