Why Does the American Form of Government Work?

Federalist Essay No. 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; or if such a common motive exists, it will be more difficult for all who feel it to discover their own strength, and to act in unison with each other.”

In this quote, Madison establishes the importance of inclusion and diversity. In order to maintain peace and order, the government must be able to protect and serve all types of people with different backgrounds. If diversity is ensured, the people will feel more inclusive and therefore the likelihood of a single majority trying to take over and “invade the rights of other citizens” is decreased. The American form of government works because it serves citizens of all backgrounds (whether it be religion, occupation, or politics). This will also prevent people for making decisions for their own benefit and instead will support the good of all people.

“In the first place, it is to be remarked that, however small the republic may be, the representatives must be raised to a certain number, in order to guard against the cabals of a few; and that, however large it may be, they must be limited to a certain number, in order to guard against the confusion of a multitude.”

Here, Madison talks about the importance of equal representation of the people by the government. Because all states are equally unique and are different sizes and have different populations, there must be a system to represent all states equally so everyone has the same opportunities and their voices are heard. This ensures that the American government focuses on unison of all of the states. And to satisfy all the states, the number of representatives in the government should be based on valid reasons.

Federalist Essay No. 51:

“Were this principle rigorously adhered to, it would require that all the appointments for the supreme executive, legislative, and judiciary magistracies should be drawn from the same fountain of authority, the people, through channels having no communication whatever with one another… But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others.”

In this essay, Madison addresses the importance of checks and balances. Part of the American government will be split into three different branches, executive, judicial, and legislative. All three equally important, neither branch can overpower the other two. This system allows for decisions to be made with utmost consideration. These different branches are important because while the people do have a voice that is very important to be heard, the people appointed to these branches are there to make the best decision to benefit the people. Madison also establishes that laws are necessary to maintain order within the nation.  

“Whilst all authority in it will be derived from and dependent on the society, the society itself will be broken into so many parts, interests, and classes of citizens, that the rights of individuals, or of the minority, will be in little danger from interested combinations of the majority.”

In this quote, Madison goes back to the start and mentions how the government, and all its success, comes from the people. Because America is so diverse and her citizens are of many different backgrounds, the likelihood of a majority disagreement and oppression is small. America runs on her unique citizens that define the nation and give power to the government.