James Madison: Federalist 10

Questions for Further Study

• 1. Some historians argue that the Constitution was a retreat from the Declaration of Independence. By allowing the continuation of slavery, creating a powerful central government with an unelected Senate and president, and limiting the options for structural change to the amending process, the Constitution is said to repudiate the Revolutionary, democratic, and egalitarian spirit of the Declaration. Others argue that the Constitution simply codified the Declaration by providing a legal framework for republican government. Discuss the relationship between the ideals of the two founding documents. Do they conflict with each other or are they in fundamental agreement? Refer to the Declaration of Independence and to Federalist 10, Federalist 14, and Federalist 51.
• 2. Madison distinguishes the “pure democracy” of ancient times from the modern republic. Whereas the former was necessarily limited to a city-state whose residents could gather together in one spot, the latter relied on a system of representation that permits its people to disperse over a larger land area, which would have positive effects for everyone. Expand this comparison of the modern republic with an ancient city-state. Refer to the entries on the Constitution of Sparta and the Athenian Constitution.
• 3. In Federalist 10, Madison discusses factionalism, or the division of the political arena into various groups competing for specific interests. According to his view, what is the relationship between factionalism and freedom? How would the presence of factional interests ensure the stability of the proposed constitutional government and facilitate geographic expansion from the thirteen states of 1787 to the transcontinental nation America became?
• 4. How would Madison have viewed modern totalitarian states, such as North Korea, in which differing viewpoints are treated as crimes and the people supposedly support their government without question?