Why does the American form of government work?

 Why does the American form of government work?

#10

"Extend the sphere, and you take in a greater variety of parties and interests; you make it less probable that a majority of the whole will have a common motive to invade the rights of other citizens"

and

"The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular States, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other States. A religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the Confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it must secure the national councils against any danger from that source. A rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the Union than a particular member of it; in the same proportion as such a malady is more likely to taint a particular county or district, than an entire State."

In the two portions of text, the American form of government seems to work because the scope of its rule is so large.  This is interesting to think about because one would think that a larger body of land would make government more difficult to manage, but one benefit which is argued here is that people are more protected against their rights being violated.  In our government, change occurs when a great majority of people align themselves with a particular idea, and because our government manages so many people, a large amount of people would have to be in accordance.  This makes it harder for a party to influence us citizens negatively because while the party may have support in one small area, it would need support almost everywhere in the United States to achieve its deleterious goals.  Since this event is unlikely, a "bad" party will not be able to exert its influence; a result from the buffer of our country's population demographics.  As a closing note, I find this theory of our government interesting especially when taking into consideration how this years presidential election is panning out.   Let us reflect back on this in three month's time to see if the Federalist Papers hold any water.  

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#15

"...it is evident that each department should have a will of its own; and consequently should be so constituted that the members of each should have as little agency as possible in the appointment of the members of the others."

The Federalist Papers were written after the year 1748, the year in which Montesquieu published The Spirit of the Laws, and his influence is visible in this quote which argues for the separation of powers.  The separation of powers is one of the reasons our government works because each branch (executive, legislative, and judicial) can enact checks and balances to insure that power isn't concentrated in any one group.  Among other things, the separation of powers acts as a safeguard against tyranny, the antithesis of a democracy.

"...the more powerful factions or parties be gradnally induced, by a like motive, to wish for a government which will protect all parties, the weaker as well as the more powerful."

This quote says that our government works because everyone has a motivation to protect everyone's rights.  Each group of people would naturally want their own rights (because who doesn't want rights), but contrasting parties would want rights for each other as well.   The majority would want rights for the minority because if the minority doesn't have rights, they would likely cause a riot which is something undesireable for the majority.  To keep everyone happy, rights are given to everyone, and I think this is a reason why our government is able to function.