Federalist Paper

#51 Essay, Research Paper

Federalist Paper #51

I believe there should be a Constitutional Convention because many of us find the government structure defective. The only answer that can be given is that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.”

Many believe that the government should be set in three different branches and those branches have all separate so that not just one can be teamed up on by the others and vice versa. The individual is never alone; he can always find a faction. This, at best, is but a precarious security; because a power independent of the society may as well espouse the unjust views of the major, as the rightful interest of the minor party, and may possibly be turned against both parties. Some examples of that are in paragraph two, No. 51 of the Federalists Papers. …Different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty, …each department should have a will of its own;… each should have as little agency as possible.” We Federalists believe that the executive, judiciary, and legislative should be drawn from the people. It is equally evident that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others.”

For us to make these departments independent we must make sure those who control those departments do not fall to attack. The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place.

Experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions. Here is where Madison is talking about checks and balances. To the security of liberty against the enterprises and assaults of ambition, of faction, and of anarchy. This is one of the main reasons we need a Constitution, so the minority will have protection against the majority. If a majority be united by a common interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure. The Constitution protects our rights against them.

It is of great importance in a republic not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part. This states that if we do not have a Constitution we will not have protection against either tyranny or our rights. To submit to a government which may protect the weak as well as themselves; so, in the former state, will the more powerful factions or parties be gradually induced, by like motive, to wish for a government which will protect all parties, the weaker as well as the more powerful.

On a final thought, if we as a people our to be prosperous and free we need our Constitution so that the powers of the majority will not overpower the minority, leaving us with no rights and facing tyranny.