Author Archive

James Madison

James Madison (1751–1836), the fourth U.S. president and a principal architect of the Constitution, made foundational contributions to political philosophy through his advocacy for a large, faction-diluting republic in Federalist No. 10 and his defense of separation of powers in Federalist No. 51 . His intellectual legacy rests on the concept of "extending the sphere" to manage majority tyranny, articulated in these essays alongside Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. Madison's Federalist Papers remain essential texts in liberal democratic theory, exploring the mechanics of constitutional governance and human nature's role in political institutions.

12 summaries in the archive