In pledging to "insure domestic tranquillity" in the Preamble to the Constitution, the framers
were as concerned about preserving harmony among distinct groups in America as they were
about crime. As James Madison argued in the most famous of all The Federalist Papers--Federalist #10--, they feared that without a strong government, "factions" would threaten everyone with either anarchy or tyranny. Are there too many "factions" in America today--groups that appear to be out only for themselves? Which groups do you think of as being
"factions"?
How about in your own neighborhood or community? What are the major organizations and
informal groups that assert themselves? Are these "warring factions" or a does a spirit of
cooperation exist among distinct interests?
Does any one "faction" appear to control the political process in the neighborhood or
community? If so, how? What might be done to insure that all groups and interests in the
community gain a fair opportunity to influence elected officials?
Madison suggests that the only way to control factions is to adopt a system of representation
that permits elected officials to stand "above the fray" and mediate.What mechanisms exist
within your community to "insure domestic tranquillity" among diverse groups? Are they
working? If they aren't, how might you encourage them to work together? Or, alternatively, what
kind of decision-making process can you develop within your community groups to insure that
all groups get a fair opportunity to advance their interests and that no one faction can always
dominate the rest?
