In the 10th Federalist Paper, James Madison throws down some solid arguments in favor of an "extensive republic" as opposed to a democracy. Let's dissect the differences between a republic and a democracy. For starters, in a republic, there is a delegation of the government to a smaller number of citizens elected by the rest. Another advantageous trait of a republic is its sheer magnitude. While this may initially seem to be a downfall, it actually makes it more difficult for a majority to coalesce and oppress the feeble voice of the minority(s). In other words, an extensive republic doesn't allow for a tyranny of the majority. In short, a republic controls and even limits the effects of factions better than a democracy.
Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
5.22.2013
Coalesce and Oppress
In the 10th Federalist Paper, James Madison throws down some solid arguments in favor of an "extensive republic" as opposed to a democracy. Let's dissect the differences between a republic and a democracy. For starters, in a republic, there is a delegation of the government to a smaller number of citizens elected by the rest. Another advantageous trait of a republic is its sheer magnitude. While this may initially seem to be a downfall, it actually makes it more difficult for a majority to coalesce and oppress the feeble voice of the minority(s). In other words, an extensive republic doesn't allow for a tyranny of the majority. In short, a republic controls and even limits the effects of factions better than a democracy.
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