What does it mean by ambition must be made to counteract ambition?

Answer 1

James Madison was refering to the new system of democratic government that the founding fathers were attempting to create when they wrote the constitution. They felt that government is a more effective means by which to serve the people when the self interests of each individual are pitted against those of otheres, inevitibly resulting in the need for compromise. Through compromise, Madison felt, society as a whole would benefit greater then any one individual party. It is fair to relate this style of thinking to Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations, a book which many historians agree influenced the founding fathers greatly.

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This is a quote from the Federalist Papers, #51 and was in regards to the separation of powers amongst the legislative, executive and judicial branches. While Madison was involved in "great compromises" in forging this government, it is unclear how creating a separation of powers is a compromise. The ambitions of Presidents must be checked by the ambitions of both the legislative branch and the judicial branch. The ambitions of legislators must be checked by the executive and judicial branches and the ambitions of judges must be checked by the ambitions of legislators and Presidents. How the idea that Adam Smith advocates compromise is unclear as well. Adam Smith predicted that if people were left alone to act in their own best interests that a greater good would be easier to accomplish. If I am acting in my own best interest in selling a book and the purchaser is acting in his own best interest by purchasing the book where is the compromise?

Answer 2

This statement was made by James Madison in reference to the Separation of Powers in America. When people worry about the failure of the separation of powers, the worst case scenario is that one power will take over one or more of the other powers (which always leads to disaster). Madison proposed that rather than laws regulating the separation of powers, the ambition of the people holding political offices would regulate it naturally. For example, the ambition of the President would prevent him from allowing the Legislature to encroach on his power, ahe ambition of the Legislature would prevent them from allowing the President to encroach on their power, and so on.

Hope this helps,
Benton Stull.