POLI 100E, Interest Group Politics: Topic 1, Why are Interest Groups Important?

James Madison (1751 - 1836).
A Delegate From Virginia to the Federal Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, 1787
Secretary of State of the United States, 1801 - 1809
President of the United States, 1809 - 1817
Author of Federalist #10

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Home Page: Interest Group Politics

Topic 1, Why Study Interest Groups?
Topic 2, Why are there so Many Interest Groups?
Topics 3 and 4, Theories of Interest Groups
Topics 5 and 7, Interest Groups and Congress
Topic 6, Interest Groups and National Elections

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1. Madison's Argument in Federalist 10
   
   The Dangerous Vice of Faction
   The Definition of Faction
   The Cures for Faction
   Removing the Causes of Faction
   Can We Destroy Liberty?
   Passion and Reason: The True Believers
   The Unequal Distribution of Property
   The Clash of Economic Interests
   The Causes Cannot be Removed
   How do you Protect a Minority from a Majority Faction
   Pure Democracy is Very Bad
   A Republic is Good
   A Large Republic is Even Better
   The Protection of Property
   
   
2. Problems With Madison's Argument
   
   Why is a Large Republic Needed?
   Energetic Government vs. Tyranny
   
   
3. Madison's Key Insights
   
   The Nature of Political Debate and the Sources of Faction
   Parties (Factions) are the Price we Pay for Liberty
   
   
4. Drawing the Line Between an Interest Group and a Political Party
   
   Political Relevance
   Definition of a Political Party
   Definition of an Interest Group
   Economic Interest Groups
   Idealistic Interest Groups
   Political Relevance (Cont.): Are Political Parties Simply Coalitions of Interest Groups?