Christopher Pittman

September 29, 2006

Period 7
American Government Homework

1. What are factions, according to Madison and where does he write of them?
According to James Madison, a faction is a group of citizens who are united and driven
by some common interests and not caring of the rights of other citizens. He writes of
them in paragraph four of Article 10 of the Federalists Articles.

2. What are the causes of faction, according to Madison?

According to Madison, the causes of factions are complaints that are shared by a group of
people.

3. What is the primary object of government, according to Madison?

The primary object of government, according to Madison, is that the mistakes we make
help keep government together.

4. Where do the rights of property originate, according to Madison?

The rights of property originate in the republican government according to Madison.

5. What is the most common and durable source of faction, according to Madison?
According to Mr. Madison the most common and durable source of factions has been the
various and unequal distribution of property.

6. How could we cure the "mischief’s of faction," according to Madison? Why are these
remedies worse than the disease, according to Madison?
Removing its causes and controlling its effects are ways to cure factions. Destroying the
liberty and giving citizens the same options are two more ways to cure factions.

7. What is Madison's solution for controlling the effects of factions?

From the protection of different and unequal faculties of acquiring property, the
possession of different degrees and kinds of property immediately results; and from the
influence of these on the sentiments and views of the respective proprietors, ensues a
division of the society into different interests and parties.

8. What is a republic, what is a pure democracy, and how do they differ?

The difference is that in a republic, the government is run by representatives who rule
based on what the people think while a democracy is where the people rule themselves.

9. How does a republic inhibit the effects of factions, according to Madison?

According to Madison, the republic inhibits the effects of factions because
representatives whose enlightened views and virtuous sentiments render them superior to
local prejudices and schemes of injustice