Questions:
1. Does Madison have a somewhat cynical view of human nature?
2. Can government be trusted without regulation?
3. Why is it important for different departments to not be dependent on each other?
4. Is it possible to keep the majority from overriding the minority?
5. What are some disadvantages of a bigger central government?
Quotes:
"Ambition must be made to counteract ambition"
Is this always necessary in government power?
"If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary."
I think he is saying that man is sinful in nature(not angels), so government is necessary to keep order.
"You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."
Madison realizes that although the people may need to be controlled, we need to make sure government is also controlled and doesn't have too much power.
"But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature"
Problems in government reflect the some of the simple problems that occur in human life.
"On ordinary occasions, it might not be exerted with the requisite firmness; and on extraordinary occasions, it might be perfidiously abused."
No two occasions have to happen the same way.
3. It is important that the branches do not become too dependent on each other because then it would be hard to distinguish among different perspectives; everyone's viewpoints would melt together. If they became too involved in each other's matters, the system of checks and balances would ultimately become corrupted, potentially resulting in an imbalance of abuse of power.
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