A well-constructed Union should develop a tendency to break and control Factions –“People feel that our governments are too unstable; that the public good is disregarded in the conflicts of rival parties; and that measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice, and the rights of the minority party; but by superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.” (A21) This is what Madison believes that “…factious spirit has tainted our public administrators.” (A21)

What is a Faction according to Madison: –“By a faction I understand a number of citizens whether amounting to a majority or minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.” (A21)

Two Methods of Curing the Mischief of Faction: 1.Remove its CAUSE (A21) TWO WAYS a)By destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence b) …by giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests Madison states that the First Method (removing its Cause) is: Worse than disease “Liberty is to faction, what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires Getting rid of LIBERTY (a Cause of Factions) which is essential to Political Life; and getting rid of Air because it causes Fires is NOT wise.

Two Methods of Curing the Mischief of Faction : 2. Controlling its EFFECTS –This is impractical as the first would be unwise –Man is fallible (not perfect), and is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed – The Government must protect this – society has different interests and political parties

Madison said: “The latent causes of Factions are thus sown in the nature of man; and we see them everywhere brought into different degrees of activity, according to the different circumstances of civil society.” (A22) –This means: Political parties oppress each other rather than cooperate for the common good –Property – if have property (Faction) No Property (Faction)

“…that the causes of Faction cannot be removed; and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects.” (A23) “If a Faction consists of less than a majority, relief is supplied by the Republican Principle, which enables the majority to defeat its sinister views by a REGULAR VOTE.” (A23)

“A Republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect and promises the CURE for which we are seeking.” (A24) –Madison’s Theory of How Factions can be Cured

DEMOCRACY v. REPUBLIC –A Republic is better at controlling Factions than pure Democracy. –“…as each representative will be chosen by a greater number of citizens in the large than in a small Republic, it will be more difficult for unworthy candidates to practise with success the vicious acts by which elections are too often carried.” (A24)

“The other point of difference is, the greater the number of citizens and extent of territory which may be brought within the compass of Republican, than of Democratic Government; and it is this circumstance principally which renders factious combinations less to be dreaded in the former, than in the latter.” (A25)

Better to Have Strong Central Government = Large Republic than having Small Republic = States more powerful than National Government –THIS IS WHY MADISON IS ARGUING FOR THE US CONSTITUTION AND HAVING A BIGGER UNION WHICH WILL CONTROL FACTIONS