Federalist No. 10 (1787)

Definition

This is one of the most influential essays in the Federalist Papers, written by James Madison. It argues for a large, commercial republic and discusses how to prevent rule by majority faction.

Analogy

Think of Federalist No. 10 as a blueprint for a building. Just like an architect designs a building to withstand various forces (like wind or earthquakes), Madison designed this plan to protect the government from being controlled by any single group.

Related terms

Factions: These are groups of people who gather together around shared interests or objectives, often causing political instability.

Republicanism: This is a form of government where power resides in elected individuals representing the citizen body and government leaders exercise power according to the rule of law.

Majority Rule: This principle asserts that decisions should reflect the desires of over half of those participating in an election or other decision-making process.