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Difficulty: HardThe Constitutional Convention and Ratification Debates

An excerpt from a political essay published during the ratification debates of 1787 is shown below.

"In a republic of such vast extent as the United-States, the legislature cannot attend to the various concerns and wants of its different parts. It cannot be sufficiently numerous to be acquainted with the local condition and wants of the different districts, and if it could, it is impossible it should have sufficient time to provide for all the various states of the union."

Which of the following arguments from the supporters of the proposed Constitution most directly responded to the critique presented in the excerpt?

  1. A larger republic would encompass a wider variety of interest groups and political factions, making it more difficult for a dominant majority to violate individual rights.Answer
  2. B
    The maintenance of a unicameral legislature would ensure equal representation among states, preventing larger regions from marginalizing local interests.
  3. C
    The formal organization of national political parties would serve as the primary mechanism to align local public opinion with congressional policies.
  4. D
    The restriction of the federal government's authority to direct taxation of foreign trade would leave domestic commerce entirely under local legislative control.

Answer

A larger republic would encompass a wider variety of interest groups and political factions, making it more difficult for a dominant majority to violate individual rights.
The correct answer is correct because it summarizes James Madison's argument in Federalist No. 10. In response to Anti-Federalist arguments (like those in Brutus No. 1) that a large republic would become detached from the people and collapse, Madison argued that an extended republic would contain so many diverse interests and factions that it would be extremely difficult for a majority faction to coordinate and oppress minority interests, thereby preserving liberty better than small republics.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided stimulus to identify the central argument.
The author argues that a large republic (the United States) is too vast for a single legislature to understand or address local concerns, suggesting that representative government fails at such a scale.
This establishes the Anti-Federalist critique of a large republic as described in Brutus No. 1.
2
Identify the Federalist counterargument to the 'large republic' problem from the ratification debates.
In Federalist No. 10, James Madison argued that a large republic actually prevents the tyranny of the majority because the diversity of interests makes it difficult for any single faction to form a majority and oppress others.
This directly addresses the critique of scale by turning it into a safeguard for liberty.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that matches the Federalist counterargument.
The option describing a larger republic encompassing a wider variety of interest groups and political factions is the correct choice.
It accurately summarizes Madison's theory of the extended republic.

Key Concept

Federalist No. 10 and the Extended Republic Defense
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Topics

The Constitutional Convention and Ratification Debates

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