Student Question
Why does James Madison believe a republic will solve democracy's problems?
Quick answer:
James Madison believed a republic, especially a large one, could prevent the tyranny of the majority over the minority, particularly protecting the wealthy from populist excesses. He argued that a representative government in a large country would help mitigate these issues. While this system has historically prevented serious anti-wealth movements, there is concern today that it may have gone too far, allowing big corporations and the rich to dominate American governance.
For Madison, a republic (and a large one in particular) was the way to keep the minority from overwhelming and abusing a minority. He thought of this in class terms, not racial terms. So the minority he was concerned about was the rich.
To some extent, I think he was right. Having representative government in a large country has helped to prevent the worst excesses of populism. We have not had any serious anti-wealth movements in the US and that may be in part due to the size and political organization of the country.
However, it is possible that the system we have today goes to far in the other direction. You can argue that the big corporations have taken over American government and that the rich are now in position to overwhelm and abuse the rest of us.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.