Madison argued that a large national government would be less susceptible to faction if representation occurred through which form?

• A. Representation through a republic
• B. Checks and balances
• C. Self-interest as the solution
• D. Federalist 51

Answer: (A)

A large republic with representative government is the mechanism Madison favors for limiting faction. By having citizens elect representatives who themselves come from a diversity of interests, public opinion is filtered and refined rather than translated directly into policy. In a vast nation with many competing factions, no single group can easily dominate the legislature, because representatives must bargain and compromise across many viewpoints. This dispersion of power and the deliberative process help prevent any one faction from seizing control. Checks and balances play a supporting role in preventing power grabs, but the critical idea here is representation through a republic rather than direct rule or other structures.