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James Madison's Analysis

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James Madison, in Federalist 10, was concerned about the danger of factions. He was concerned that in a society in which people have the right to freely express their political views, portions of the population are likely to pursue their own self interests. However, the issue is when self-interests do not benefit the interests of the Nation. Madison was also concerned that if the government limits people from expressing their self-interests, political freedom will thus be taken away. Madison recognized that human nature dictates that people will act in their self-interest, but using this basic premise, other political scientists argued about the ways in which individuals who have similar interests will associate.
This analysis will cover …show more content…

It is through connections with other people that individuals believe they can impact politics. More specifically, those with similar interests are likely to develop social trust, bargain with others and build coalitions. Putnam also argued that interest groups can mobilize people who share similar behaviors, mores and beliefs. He used an anecdote that in the 1990s, Christian fundamentalists and Catholics bridged their conflicts by working toward pro-life ideals. Truman argued that overlapping members in interest groups can solve the issue of factions, since members would unite under a greater number of issues. Essentially, Putnam made the claim that individuals have become disconnected from “family, friends, neighbors and social structures.” He argues that this greater disconnect is detrimental to society, because according to Putnam, communities with less social capital have lower educational …show more content…

Interests groups are more prevalent in today’s politics than ever before, yet Putnam argues that people have become disconnected from social structures. While Putnam claims that individuals who connect to others feel as though they can influence politics, he also claims that these connections are lessening in today’s society. Thus, this primary claim that connections, and thereby, social capital, is reducing contradicts with the widespread increase of interest groups.
David Truman suggested that interests group are the outcome of two forces, the first being society’s growing complexity. He suggests that as the economy expands and socioeconomic conditions evolve, new interest groups will form and others will lessen. For example, as social media and technology has expanded, the necessity for interest groups representing Americans’ internet privacy and net neutrality has increased. As the tax code has become more complex, and thus, wealthier individuals have utilized tax loopholes, more interest groups advocating for middle class Americans have become more

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