Madison continues a discussion begun in earlier papers: Why is a formal Union best for America? Why shouldn’t the thirteen states break up into 3 or 4 different confederacies, as some were then suggesting? Several reasons were given in the earlier essays. Now Madison adds another.
In other words, a “faction” is a group that is gripped by the need to accomplish some policy purpose, even if it hurts the greater good of the community.
Why, then, are so many forces today striving to shove Americans into one-size-fits-all solutions, policies, or opinions? Surely Madison would be horrified!
If the causes of faction cannot be cured, then perhaps the effects can be controlled.
Madison argues that a pure democracy can never control the effects of faction. Have you heard the saying that pure democracy is like two wolves and a sheep voting on what’s for dinner? The sheep always gets sacrificed, right? That is basically what Madison is saying here. A **pure** democracy cannot work.
So what about a republic?
A republic, Madison believes, controls faction better than a democracy. But a large republic controls factions better than a small republic.
“Publius” will continue his arguments for ratifying the Constitution in the next essay.
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