of property they own. For example, the interests of landowners differ from those who own businesses. Government must not only protect the conflicting interests of property owners, it must, at the same time, successfully control the conflicts that result from those who own, and those who do not own, property. To James Madison, there are only two ways to control a faction: one, to remove its causes and the second to control its effects. The first is impossible. There are only two ways to remove the causes of a faction: destroy freedom or give every citizen the same opinions, passions, and interests. Destroying freedom is as James Madison says "worse then the disease itself," and the second is impossible. He states, “as long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed. The causes of factions are therefore part of the nature of humans and people must deal with their effects and accept their existence. The framers established a representative form of government, a government in which the many elect the few who govern. Pure or direct democracies (countries in which all the citizens participate directly in making the laws) cannot possibly control factious conflicts. This is because the strongest and largest faction dominates, and there is no way to protect weak factions against the actions of an insufferable individual or a strong majority. This factious majority was which Madison felt the utmost fear for. If the new plan of government was adopted, Madison hoped that the men elected to office would be wise and good men the best of America. Theoretically, those who govern should be the least likely to sacrifice the public good to temporary condition, but the opposite might happen. Men who are members of particular factions, or who have prejudices or evil motives might manage, by intrigue or corruption, to win elections and then betray the interests of the people. Howe...
