Federalist Number 10 (excerpt)

Madison wrote:

[2] By a faction, I (mean) a number of citizens…united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.

[3] There are two methods of curing the mischiefs of faction: the one, by removing its causes; the other, by controlling its effects.

[4] There are two methods of removing the causes of faction: the one, by destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence; the other, by giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests.

[5] … the first remedy,( destroying liberty) … was worse than the disease.

[6] The second is as impracticable as the first would be unwise. As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed...The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man...

...it may be concluded that a pure democracy...can admit of no cure for the mischiefs of faction.

...A republic...promises the cure for which we are seeking.