Federalist 10, in Modern English

To the people of the state of New York:

A well-constructed Union gives its people many advantages, the most important of which is the ability to contain the violence of factions. This danger is why most fear the character and the fate of popular governments. Thus, people should devote themselves to fixing the problem, as long as the solution doesn’t violate their principles. Instability, injustice and confusion brought to public councils are the reason why popular governments fail, and so are the best weapons for adversaries of liberty. America has made many improvements on past models of popular government, but still it has not eradicated the aforementioned danger. Considerate and virtuous citizens are complaining that our governments are too unstable, that in the conflicts of rival parties the public good is ignored, that decisions are made based on an overbearing majority and without taking into account justice or the rights of the minority. This is, to some degree, true, whether or not we like it. Indeed, if we review our situation, we will find that many of our problems are wrongly charged to our government; but, at the same time, we will also find that other causes account for some of our biggest problems, and for distrust of public affairs and concerns about private rights. Thus, the effects of this unsteadiness and injustice caused by this facetious mindset must be mostly, if not entirely, felt.

By a faction, I understand most citizens, whether the minority or majority, who are united by some common goal which does not match up with that of other citizens or of the entire community.

The two ways of controlling a faction are by removing its causes or by controlling its effects.

There are two ways of removing the cause: one is to destroy the freedom which allows it to exist. The other is to give every citizen the same opinions, passions and interests.

The first of those remedies is worse than the disease. Freedom is necessary for factions. But, to take away freedom is the same as taking away air, which feeds the fiery factions but also allows us to live.

As much as the first would be unwise, the second is impracticable. As long as man’s reasoning is imperfect, and he has the freedom to reason, different opinions will be formed. As long as there is a connection between his reason and his self-love, his opinions and passions will influence each other and attach themselves to one another. The diversity in the talents of man, from which the rights of property originate, is an overwhelming obstacle to the goal of having identical interests. The protection of these talents is the number one reason why government should exist. The possession of different kinds of property results from the protection of unequal means of gaining property, and society naturally divides itself into different interests and parties because of this influence on different property owners.