James Madison

James Madison (1751-1836) is a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and one of the authors of The Federalist Papers, which argue in favor of the ratification of the Constitution.

Madison consistently thinks that the Articles of Confederation are too weak and that a more powerful federal government is required to fix the problems of the Articles. He drafts the Constitution and much of the Bill of Rights. Madison is a sophisticated political theorist who argues that governments must not only be given the power to rule the people but also to restrain itself from encroaching upon the people's liberties. He argues in favor of this by creating a government wherein different "factions" or special interest groups find themselves with opposing interests. This will lead them to fight amongst themselves rather than working together to oppress the people. He is a strong defender of republicanism generally and thinks...