Why Does the US Government Work?

Why Does The American Form of Government Work?

Essay 10:

In this essay, James Madison gives the reader insight on how factions, groups of people going against popular opinion, should be dealt with.

Madison says, “There are two methods of curing the mischiefs of faction: the one, by removing its causes; the other, by controlling its effects.

There are again two methods of removing the causes of faction: the one, 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.”

What I believe Madison is trying to express in this passage is that the beauty of American government and how it functions can come even from the rebels of society. Even when they disagree with the general public they are still exercising the right to liberty, of which is the government’s foundation. What Madison is saying is that even when people disagree with popular notions and create subtle societal problems, the government stays strong as the ideals that it implements are simply being put into action.

Essay 51:

In this essay, James Madison explains the idea of the existence of separate branches of government.

Madison says, “In order to lay a due foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty, it is evident that each department should have a will of its own.”

Madison is describing the system of checks and balances, where each branch of government has equal powers in different fields of ruling. Madison describes the genius of this system by explaining how this system will always prevail liberty as each branch can check the other branches for making the right decision. He says, “exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty.”