Cassandra Perez- Assignment #5

[Cassandra Perez]

1. What, according to Madison, is the principal cause of faction in
society, and do you feel that his view accurately reflected his own
times?What about the present?

-According to Hamilton, “By a faction, I understand a number of
citizens, whether amounting to majority or minority of the whole, who
are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of
interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the
permanent, and aggregate interest of the community.” His views did
reflect things in that time period because majority had the most power
but now, it's mostly equal.

2. How does Madison propose to deal with the problem of faction? Can
faction be eliminated? How is it to be controlled?

- Madisons proposal in dealing with factions is by controlling them
not eliminating. He suggested checks and balances, abolishment of
slavery, making the citizens less diverse, and controlling of ideas
between the people. To eliminate factions you have to have one body of
the government that stays away from democratic ideologies.


V.O. Key's The Responsible Electorate

1. Why does V. O. Key, Jr., argue that the “voice of the people is but
an echo”? Do you agree?

-I think that Key's believes that Americans are just followers. I kind
of agree with this statement because nothing has really changed since
then. Then again, it's not really our fault because news is just
corrupted and that's where we get all of our information from.

3. What is the importance of theories about how voters behave?

-It's important because candidates can then run based on what
American's supposedly think. Making them have a clear advantage and
being able to change their campaigns to their benefit.

I agree with everyone when they say that knowing voting habits of the
people are a clear advantage to the people running. Not only does it
let them alter their campaigns, it gives them knowledge on what
exactly to lie about at their next debate.