Essay - Federalist Papers Closely Analyze the Language of Madison in 'Federalist...

Federalist Papers

Closely analyze the language of Madison in "Federalist 51." Why does he place so much emphasis on Congress and the division power? What are his justifications?

In reading over James Madi*****n's "***** Paper 51," one of ***** most striking aspects of Madison's language is that it is strongly characterized by fear—fear of the ***** ***** government, particularly a democratic government to do harm to the nation as a whole ***** en*****cting imprudent laws, fear of the tyranny of the majority, and fear of the power of government and popular factions. Despite ***** popular image ***** the Founding Fa*****rs as unapologetic democrats, the image that emerges from ***** words is that of a man who was very cautious about the power of a republican form of government ***** effectively keep order and protect the rights of all of America's citizens. The government must ***** the citizens ***** themselves, and the government ***** be designed to protect itself from one branch growing too powerful, in Madison's vision.

***** of powers, according to Madison, is vital ***** safeguard against the vices of democracy, as well as the powers of autocracy, ***** ***** arm or man *****coming too *****. Madison says that *****re is a para*****x to *****—on one hand, it should be ***** the people, to prevent government becoming ***** unrepresentative and greedy, yet government ***** administered by ********** human *****, and elected by all-too human people. 'Splitting the difference' seems to be ***** logical conclusion he arises at to remedy this paradox: "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. T***** interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional ***** of the place. It may be a reflection on hu***** n*****ture, that such de***** ***** be necessary to control the abuses of *****. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no govern*****t would be *****. If ***** were to govern men, neither external nor internal c*****trols on government would be necessary. In framing a ***** which is to be administered by men over *****, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government ***** control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, ***** primary control on the *****; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precauti*****s."

Mad*****on believes that no government can be entirely democratic in ***** way that it is adm*****istered or elected. *****terestingly, in light of the nation's fixation on the presidency since at least the New Deal, Madis***** stresses the necessary power of the legislature to check democratic excesses: "but ***** is not possible to give to each department an equal power ***** self-defense. In republi***** government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates." He also ***** that the judiciary should ***** be elected, even though according to republican logic, ***** branches ***** ***** elected in ***** same manner: 'Some deviations, therefore, from the principle ***** be admitted. *****