Why Does the American Form of Government Work?

10:
"AMONG the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction. The friend of popular governments never finds himself so much alarmed for their character and fate, as when he contemplates their propensity to this dangerous vice."

This passage explains how the purpose of a country's united government is to control the people. The strong centralization of the government is what enables our leaders to control any unruly behavior that violates our country's laws. Our country's just legal system and ability to hold citizens accountable makes our government work. 

"In the first place, it is to be remarked that, however small the republic may be, the representatives must be raised to a certain number, in order to guard against the cabals of a few; and that, however large it may be, they must be limited to a certain number, in order to guard against the confusion of a multitude. Hence, the number of representatives in the two cases not being in proportion to that of the two constituents, and being proportionally greater in the small republic, it follows that, if the proportion of fit characters be not less in the large than in the small republic, the former will present a greater option, and consequently a greater probability of a fit choice."


This explains how the representatives in the government are just right in our current system. We need to have enough individuals so that our government is not run by a few radicals. However, we have to make sure that we do not end up with too many representatives so that our government is thrown into indecisiveness. With our current system, our government is able to remain very efficient. For example, one of the problems with the government in the French Revolution was that Robespierre and others did not have a cast around them to offer varying opinion or check their power. This was a very big reason for their instability. Our early government members were able to quickly address and combat this problem. 





51:

"We see it particularly displayed in all the subordinate distributions of power, where the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other that the private interest of every individual may be a sentinel over the public rights. These inventions of prudence cannot be less requisite in the distribution of the supreme powers of the State. But it is not possible to give to each department an equal power of self-defense. In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates. The remedy for this inconveniency is to divide the legislature into different branches; and to render them, by different modes of election and different principles of action, as little connected with each other as the nature of their common functions and their common dependence on the society will admit."

This explains how the system of the different branches is key to having the US government work. The purpose of having multiple branches is to ensure that there is a system of checks and balances to make certain that the policies that are enacted are very fair and representative of many diverse opinions. This also justifies our need for customized modes of election to elect members to the different branches, so that the US government is able to continually adapt to represent the will of the people. 

"But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."

This explains how the government is necessary as an authoritative and strong figure in order to rule all of the US inhabitants. It needs to have some kind of way to ensure that people follow the laws, and therefore, respect the government. This was made possible through swift and clear statements after the War of Independence to get the country on the same page, as the government did with the Loyalists to make sure they knew they would not be persecuted. This explains also why it was important initially to show that the government does indeed have a way to hold people accountable for their actions, and therefore make them listen to the government. The government's prestige in the US has this kind of impact in the modern day. 














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