The following prompt is taken from a AP College Board Exam:
In Federalist paper number 10, James Madison expressed concern over the possibility that both majority and minority factions would have too much power over government, and he presented ways of minimizing that danger. The United States Constitution established a democratic government but also contained several provisions that limited majority rule. Throughout the next two centuries, the role of majority rule in the United States government and politics continued to change.
(a) Identify the part of the national government that was originally most closely tied to citizens and explain how it was tied to citizens.
(b) Explain two ways the United States Constitution limited majority rule.
The House of Representatives was originally most closely tied to the citizens due to the fact that they could directly vote for those that they wanted to represent the state. The House of Representative are specifically to serve and represent the people within their congressional district.
ReplyDeleteMajority rule is limited under the United States Constitution through separation of powers and federalism. Separation of powers ensures that one branch of the government does not have significant power over the other. Through a system of checks and balances, the three government branches all have a specific role to play, which guarantees that all conflict amongst the branches will be avoided. Federalism creates a distinct separation between the state and federal government, which is essential to limiting majority rule. Without federalism, the states could possibly be overlooked altogether and a centralized national government would exist. State government benefits United States citizens because the specific needs within their area are more susceptible to be met. Therefore, the majority rule of the nation is no longer as prevalent of a problem as it would be in a centralized national government.
Good answer. Make sure to develop your answers fully.
DeleteA. The part of the government that was originally most closely tied to the citizens was the House of Representatives. This was because the Representatives were elected based on population, so the House members had more people than the senate to become acquainted with the people. They were most closely tied to the citizens in another way because of their delegated areas. The Representatives were put in place to serve their counties regions, not necessarily the state as a whole. Because of this, they became more familiar with the people of their regions than the other parts of the national government.
ReplyDeleteB. Two ways the Constitution limited majority rule were (A) having a state and national government (federalism) and (B) having a separation of powers between the three branches of government. With the state and national government, the federalists ensured that the people’s individual voices would be heard, and that the states still retained some of their individuality. It also was a check on that national government, ensuring that it would not make universal rules without the consent of the states. Not only does federalism give the states individuality and the power to make decisions on their own, but it keeps the government from passing unwanted or unwarranted legislation. It limits the mob rule that could happen if the majority of the national government followed one party. Having a separation of powers checks specifically the national government. It ensures that none of the three branches gain enough power to overrule the other two. This happens because the all of the branches have checks on the other two. The Supreme Court has the ability to declare laws as unconstitutional. The executive branch has the ability to propose and veto laws, can call Congress to session, and other things. Congress has the most political power, being able to override a veto, impeach the president, and approve treaties among other things, but it is always kept in check by the other two branches. Not one branch has the ability to take over the other two by any means, just as the federal system ensures that the states and national government won’t take over each other.
Great job!
DeleteA. While the Judicial and Execute branches play an important role in the United States government, the Legislative branch interacts and affects the citizens the most. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate receive their members from the general public, each one directly elected by the people from their district. Additionally, it is the Legislative branch that creates and implements laws that directly influence the citizens of the country, even if the president approves them. Represented individuals hold their senators and representatives accountable for the decisions they make and ultimately decide which party controls the majority in Congress via elections.
ReplyDeleteB. Because the writers of the Constitution worried about factions and tyrannical majorities, they had to implement a safeguard against them, and they accomplished this first in the very creation of centralized government and second in the Separation of Powers among the branches and within the Legislative branch specifically. As Madison so skillfully explained, faction rule is born of the concentrated influence of a like-minded group of people in a relatively small area. To counter this, he and the other conspirators knew their new government had to be a unified whole with smaller segments, not a group of individual portions loosely tied together. Inevitably, because each state would practically govern itself, a confederacy would breed individual factions in charge of a segment, dominating that state but feuding with its neighboring states, until the collection tore itself apart from within. Comparatively, a republic, with its centralized government and individual states, would average out the factions. Because the government would supervise the whole country, not just one portion of it, and because the government would be made up of representatives and politicians from each state, any smaller faction would be swallowed up by the wiser votes of the rest of the country. While the majority would still rule, there would be a much smaller chance of a faction gaining power.
After choosing the type of centralized government, the framers then had to decide how to keep tyranny out of their new government. Separation and specific designation of powers was the first step: the makers of the law, then enforcer of the law, and the judge of the law. By creating three branches that counterbalanced each others, the founders created a government with no room for tyranny. To further this, they also split Congress into a bicameral system. As the maker of the law, Congress could not be allowed to fall to faction- and mob-rule. If the representatives were chosen by population, the smaller states would get no say. If they were chosen based on equality, Congress's decisions would not truly reflect the whole country's wishes. With two Houses, a single party or faction could not easily rule the whole Legislature, especially if the faction was concentrated in only a few states.
Excellent!
DeleteDiscussion Question for Federalist #10
ReplyDeleteThe part of the national government that was originally most closely tied to the citizens was the House of Representatives. There are many reasons that the House of Representatives is most closely tied to the citizens. Representatives have always been directly elected by the people, and election of Representatives is held every two years. This allows the will of the people to be more adequately represented than any other part of the national government. Also, Representatives have traditionally lived in the district that they represent, although is not required by the Constitution. All these factors contribute to the fact that the House of Representatives is most closely tied to the citizens.
The Constitution limits the powers of factions. In Federalist Number 10, James Madison says, “The federal Constitution forms a happy combination in this respect, the great and aggregate interests being referred to the national, the local and the particular to the State legislature.” The Constitution limits the power of factions through federalism. Power is separated between state and national governments, which makes it hard for a state power to dominate national power. Also, some rights are given to just the national government and some just to the states, and some powers are given to both. A faction might gain power in a state, but it would be very hard for it to spread its power throughout the nation. This helps limit the power of factions in America.
The separation of powers also limits the power of factions in the United States. The national government is divided into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Each has its own responsibilities, powers, and limits. In addition, checks and balances also limit the power of factions. Each branch has the right to check and balance what the other is doing to make sure that they are staying within the bounds of their power. The separation of powers and checks and balances limit the ability of the rule of the majority and a faction rising to power.
Very well done!!! I love that you quoted Madison.
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