Federalist 51 Summary

A major problem that both James Madison, in Federalist papers 10 and 51, and Alexis de Tocqueville, in Democracy in America, discuss is that the majority would gain too much power within the democratic self-government, and as a result the United States would be overrun with tyranny. James Madison addresses his solutions for making sure that the government will be able to control the power of the majority, posed by factions. He believes that the United States needs to a strong central government in a large republic in order to control the power of the factions. Chapters of Alexis de Tocqueville support Madison’s thinking by discussing certain ideals that Madison touched on, and elaborating on them more to provide more evidence for Madison’s

To solve the problem of republican government in a nation as geographically vast and culturally and economically heterogeneous as the United States, the Federalists needed a political theory to combat this problem. Madison felt that factions posed the greatest danger to governments of the people. Through Federalist Paper No. 10, Madison described the effects and downsides to factions. In the paper he explains, the causes of faction cannot be removed; and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects. Faction will counteract faction, and all of them will keep each other in check. The more factions there are, the more competition there is to keep them in check. Madison explained that there are two methods of curing

The Founding Fathers created the federal constitution during their time and this contained an intricate set of checks and balances between different levels and branches of government. This remains relatively unchanged within the US constitution. This set of checks and balances works in a way that makes the different branches of government still have independence and work on their own, but also requires them to work together interdependently. This creates better, stronger

The United States government system is very interesting and complexly designed. The state and federal government is a mirror of each other when it comes to the generics of the executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial branch, however, internally the state government has major differences on how the branches are conducted. Throughout this paper we will discuss the greatest difference between state and federal, which is the state cannot change or remove laws passed by the federal government but they could change how they execute the federal laws to their liking as long as it is constitutional.

In the Federalist No. 54, James Madison states that only three-fifths of the total number of slaves in a State should be counted when determining the number of representatives in the House of Representatives from that State. Madison presents several reasons for counting slaves as three-fifths of a person, he says that the laws consider slaves as property and persons. He adds on that the southern states would think its unfair to include slaves in calculating tax burdens but not in counting the number of representatives apportioned to the states. The Author’s purpose is for both southern and northern states to come into an agreement in order to pass a constitution acceptable to all states. Madison seeks to liberate himself from any responsibility

In document B and C, separation of powers of the three branches, legislative, judicial, and executive, ensures that not one power is greater than the other. However, as a form of checks and balances, the branches should not be separated to the point of having no constitutional control over each other. Madison stated "Liberty requires that the three great departments of power should be separate and distinct." (Federalist paper #51) but “..they may be a check on the other” (Federalist paper #51) meaning that the three branches have separate powers, but are able to have constitutional control on each other. For example, Legislative branch can approve the presidential nomination, override a president’s veto, and impeach the president from the executive branch while the senate confirms the president's nominations for the judges and remove them from the office from the judicial branch”. While,the executive branch can veto the congressional legislation from the legislative branch and nominate judges for the judicial branch. The judicial branch can declare presidential acts unconstitutional in the executive branch and declare laws unconstitutional to the legislative branch. (Document C). Framer guarded against tyranny through separation of powers but still being able to check on each other and having constitutional control on each other. The branches should be separate and distinct as if they were together, it would be given too much absolute power to one group. Checks and balances illustrates how the constitution guarded against tyranny because the three branches have fair opportunity to stop the other branches from committing an unconstitutional act. Additionally to how checks and balances the constitution from tyranny, “The Great Compromise” does the

With the concept of majority tyranny in mind, the founder’s, including Madison, divided the power of the government into three different branches. The need

Articles I, II, and III of the Unites States Constitution outline the importance of dividing government into 3 branches, this system was designed by our forefathers to serve the people. With any division of power obstacles are bound to arise, usually when attempting to enact important legislation. Since the US Constitution was written to the present day there has been conflicts between the supporters of a strong federal government and campaigners of states’ rights. This paper will address these three aspects associated with the first three articles of the United States Constitution.

In Federalist 51 I understand the point given about the checks and balances. How our president has split it into two different branches. Although the government wants control of these two branches for a use of power. This power is controlled by the United States of America which it discuss that the authority will always derive and be a independent country. The point to be made here is by citizens who may have a bit of control to run these branches. In order to have control we as citizens need to visualize what will effect us and what will not.

Federalist No. 51 is an essay by James Madison, the fifty-first of the Federalist Papers. It was published on Wednesday, February 6, 1788 under the pseudonym Publius, the name under which all the Federalist Papers were published. One of the most famous of the Federalist Papers, No. 51 addresses means by which appropriate checks and balances can be created in government and also advocates a separation of powers within the national government. One of its most important ideas is the pithy and often quoted phrase, "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition."

“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself,” are words written by James Madison in The Federalist Papers No. 51. The Federalist Paper No. 51 is one of several documents that compose the Federalist Papers, a series of essays written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton promoting the ratification of the Constitution. In this particular paper, several principles are used as arguments for ratification. Specifically, a main argument discussed is the means this government would have to self-regulate itself. Following the sentence quoted above is, “A dependence

The Federalist number 76 deals with the appointment powers of the executive branch. It deals with the appointment of ambassadors to judges of the Supreme Court and all other officers not provided by the constitution. Alexander Hamilton addresses the need to have a system of checks and balances built into the process of appointing and confirming all of these offices. The reasoning for this system is twofold. The conformation of the congress is meant to keep in check the possible abuse of power by the executive. This abuse of power could range from appointing someone to personally or politically connected to the executive or even someone with a makeup of character that would lend them to be to pliable by the executive influence. The appointment

The Framers of the US Constitution wanted to prevent the concentration of power into the hands of one individual, or even one group of individuals, within the national government. Thus, they reduced all governmental functions to essentially three:legislative, executive, and judicial. Because they believed that the very root of tyranny was to allow these three essential governmental functions to be exercised by one person or group.1 Consequently, they deliberately set out to devide the three functions into three separate and distinct institutions under the principle of separaton of powers, so as to gform a more perfect Union h.

Throughout the history of this nation, the Constitution, from the formation to the execution thereof, has set forth the precedent for the demonstration of excessive federal power that is clearly illustrated by history and modern America. Sufficient documentation to back up this premise includes primary documents such as James Madison’s Federalist No. 10, the Constitution of the United States, and other historical pieces. Ample consideration should be given to the paramount decisions of America’s elected officials in critical moments as well in the very construction of the American system of government that favors federalism.

Madison said “If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” (Madison, 1788). A system of checks and balances needed to be implemented. Madison argued that the only way the government could be effective was to allow it to “control the governed, and in the next place [be obliged] to control itself” (Madison, 1788). The Executive Branch is responsible for implementing the laws passed by the Legislative Branch, and those same laws are either upheld or rejected by the Judicial Branch. The three branches of government must work together to provide for the general welfare. The fragmentation of the power, along with a system of checks and balances, greatly diminishes the ability for one branch to gain too much power. This guarantees the rights of the people and ensures the government’s ability to govern.