The principles by James Madison in Federalist # 10 are better placed in accomplishing unity than those suggested by Cato. A large extended republic gives individuals the freedom of movement. As individuals move from one place to another, they interact with people who have different interests and cultures. It is only by such interaction that people understand the cultures and interests of other people and this enhances the establishment of unity. Having an extended republic may not look good in the short-term because of the evident divisions, but it is the answer to unity in the longer term. This is because as people mix and interact a dominant culture will develop. Such a culture would be an instrument of merging the interests of the smaller groups into more nationalistic interests. Furthermore, no matter how small a republic can be it is almost impossible to have similar interests. On the contrast, the interests would be more pronounced and manifested hence increasing the likelihood of conflict.
As Madison puts it, having many different interest groups neutralizes the concept of majority. Conflict usually arises from the struggle for limited resources. The majority groups have access to the resources while the minorities want to have the same. Having a smaller republic means that the resources will be strained more which will bring more dissatisfaction that could lead to violent conflict. Introducing boundaries legitimizes division in a way. This may encourage an ‘us against them’ kind of thinking, and instead of a bridge, a wall would have been erected. Even if a large republic may be made up of factions with different interests, they all are united by the leadership. This can be accomplished by the top leadership ensuring that they do not focus on interests of some groups while neglecting others. Citizens are likely to be contented if they view their president, for instance, as a nationalist who has the interests of the Republic at heart.
Works Cited
Madison, James. The Federalist. Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, 2013. Print.
