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Edited on Thu Jan-21-10 08:51 PM by demo dutch
Madison, author of Federalist paper No. 10 which addresses the question of how to guard against "factions," (or groups of citizens, with interests contrary to the rights of others or the interests of the whole community.) was a warning to the nee democracy.
He wrote "A pure democracy can admit no cure for the mischiefs of faction. A common passion or interest will be felt by a majority, and there is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice the weaker party.
Madison first asserts that there are two ways to limit the damage caused by faction: either remove the causes of faction or control its effects. He contends that there are two ways to remove the causes that provoke the development of factions. The first, destroying the Liberty, would work because “liberty is to faction what air is to fire” but it is impossible to perform because liberty is essential to political life, Americans having fought for it during the American Revolution.
He then argues that the only problem comes from majority factions because the principle of popular sovereignty should prevent minority factions from gaining power. Madison offers two ways to check majority factions: either prevent the "existence of the same passion or interest in a majority at the same time," or render a majority faction unable to act. Madison concludes that a small democracy cannot avoid the dangers of majority faction because small size means that undesirable passions can very easily spread to a majority of the people, which can then enact its will through the democratic government without difficulty.
This is the most inadequate decision since Dred Scott and the ramifications will be wide spread
"We the people" can kiss our democracy goodbye!!
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