Why does the American form of government work?

Federalist Papers: No. 51

"TO WHAT expedient, then, shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the Constitution? 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."

Here James Madison is giving an explanation as to how it would be possible for the American government to uphold the idea of a separation of powers. He briefly states that it would be done by giving the branches of government the power and ability to "[keep] each other in their proper places." This idea known as "checks and balances" is the basis of our government, and a key component in preventing a single group of people from accumulating too much power. Madison confirms this idea by stating, "In order to lay a due foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty..." 

While at first the judicial branch did not possess enough power to really check the executive or legislative branches, over time it became an integral part of our government as well. To this day, our one of a kind government has been able to maintain this balance of power and prevent a tyrannical rule in the United States. 

     Federalist Papers: No. 10
"It must be confessed that in this, as in most other cases, there is a mean, on both sides of which inconveniences will be found to lie. By enlarging too much the number of electors, you render the representatives too little acquainted with all their local circumstances and lesser interests; as by reducing it too much, you render him unduly attached to these, and too little fit to comprehend and pursue great and national objects. The federal Constitution forms a happy combination in this respect; the great and aggregate interests being referred to the national, the local and particular to the State legislatures."

In this passage, Madison is again describing a division of responsibilities among different entities, but for a different purpose. In this case he is discussing the benefits of dividing power between the states and the federal government. By having two different authorities, one with a larger electorate and one with a smaller, problems concerning majorities abusing the rights of minorities is lessened. 

By giving power to state legislatures, it enables more people get what they want. People from different regions would be more likely to have opposing interests. By giving the states power, it allows each state to pass the legislation it wants, without having to compete with the interests of other states. 

At the same time, as Madison states, having a national legislature allows congressmen to focus more on the security of the nation and not be as concerned and swayed by the individual interests of smaller parties. Also, because they would be elected by a greater number of people, it is more likely for good, just men to be elected to represent the interests of the country. This can be seen in this passage,
"In the next place, as each representative will be chosen by a greater number of citizens in the large than in the small republic, it will be more difficult for unworthy candidates to practice with success the vicious arts by which elections are too often carried; and the suffrages of the people being more free, will be more likely to centre in men who possess the most attractive merit and the most diffusive and established characters."

These divisions have allowed for the success and prosperity of our nation, as well as the fulfillment of more local, individual interests.  



Works Cited:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed10.asp
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed51.asp