LAD #5: Federalist #10

Federalist #10

Why are factions so difficult to eliminate?

The only way to eliminate them would be to destroy the citizens' freedoms or create a society where every person has the same opinions. Both are highly unlikely or even impossible.

If factions cannot be removed then how can they be controlled?

While removing the cause of the factions is not possible, the impact of the faction can be controlled, either by outvoting a minority faction or having the government overrule a faction if it is a majority, in the interest of the good of society.



James Madison's definition of a faction - a group of people who share an interest - is the definition of today's political parties. Today's current political factions share the qualities of the factions described in Federalist #10 by Madison.