|
|
Don't ask me how I got here, but I'm reading the Federalist Number 10 today
(aka, The Federalist Paper #10) and remembering why I gave up on reading this
thing (The entire Paper) the first time through.
The effect of [the delegation of government] is, on the one hand, to
refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of
a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest
of their country, and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least
likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations.
-- James Madison
Number 10 is about balancing the factionalization of citizenry in such a way as
to prevent its influence upon the republic (yes, lower case) from overbalancing
and creating an unjust situation. It speaks in general terms, but if you read
this essay, it'll call many examples to your mind.
James Madison's statement, above, makes it clear that his view of a participant
in the republican (again, lower case) process had the best interest of the
whole at heart. He seriously believed that a representative would set aside
his* personal considerations for the sake of the greater good. Number 10 talks
about how the republic must guard against a representative that "betrays the
interests" of the citizens. He figures it happens naturally (in a large
republic) as a result of having more "fit" individuals from which to select.
He believed that by selecting the right number of representatives, you would
get politicians who were far enough removed from local interests that they
could represent those interests dispassionately, while avoiding a total
disconnect that would encourage a representative to engage his personal
interests in his politics.
Now, I mentioned that this was all supposed to be a balance against
factionalization. It all hinged on the idea that at heart, a representative
wanted to do what was best for everyone. Over time, our government has become
a tool for factions, rather than a guard against them. Rather than the intent,
a representative federal government made up of representative state
governments, made up of.... etcetera..., our government polarized into parties.
Parties? Factions. Special interests? Factions. All exploiting the
fundamental flaws in Madison's thinking, that people would vote with informed
self-interest in mind, and that their elected officials would give a damn for
their constituency (ALL the voters in their district) more than for their
factional affiliations.
The population of the United States has grown one hundred fold since The
Federalist. The number of states in The Union has increased by less than a
twentieth that figure. Maybe I'm too pessimistic and we've just gone too far
in the direction of representatives having too large a constituency. Either
way, The Federalist is making me Grinchy today.
-rbarry
* Yes, his. 1787, remember?
|