Federalist Paper # 51

Questions:

1. Could there have been more/ less checks and balances, proposed by Madison that would have made our government better?
2. Would it have been possible for the government to have set up sub-governments within each other so that the people would have as much representation as possible?
3. If Federalism wasn't the case in America would the government be corrupt with huge breaches of power?
4. What would Madison think of the branches of government in today's society, and their role in each other's problems?
5. If Madison could see the "America" that we live in today would he think that most of his principles could still apply?

Quotes:

1. It is equally evident, that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others
   I took this quote because I thought it describes well, what Madison thought about the workings of Checks and Balances and the different jobs followed through by the different branches.
2. 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 quote admits that their system is not perfect, and I think that it shows that they were willing and accepting towards change.
3. 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.
   I selected this quote because I like the wording and how he uses it to explain that humans need government and organization. I also like it because it came off, to me, sounding like he was almost saying, that humans could not be ruled by/ as angles so they made government.
4.  In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments. Hence a double security arises to the rights of the people.
   This quote is cool because it sums up, for the most part what he was saying.
5. And happily for the republican cause, the practicable sphere may be carried to a very great extent, by a judicious modification and mixture of the federal principle.
   I really like this part of the paper, it was the very last sentence. I think it is really cool because he is saying," And that, folks, is how our system of government works."