Noam Chomsky said that "Madison faced the same problem-- the conflict between democracy and what they considered fairness-- and he picked the opposite solution. His solution was to reduce democracy. So the country was founded on principles which are embodied in the constitution which are basically Madisonian in conception. I'll just quote Madison, the purpose was, he said, "to place a political power in the hands of the wealth of the nation." But, as often happens with Chomsky, he cooks things up here; and so I shall present what Madison, and the other Founders, actually said, and the enormous issue they were struggling with here, which Chomsky has trivialized in comic-book fashion:
Since this will be lengthy, I shall highlight what I consider to be key passages, to facilitate skimming.
FIRST SOURCE: James Madison's notes on the Constitutional Convention of 1787, mainly on the key debate of 7 August 1787.
Two versions, one is more convenient online, the other is much more complete:
The main version, Yale's, bowlderized and expurgated, but online-convenient (well-presented), version: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/debcont.asp
James Madison, Notes on the Debates in the Federal Convention.
The secondary version, is much more complete and honest, but cumbersomely presented here.
(here to be used only as a only a supplement, but it can be seen at the other site):
Max Farrand, The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM MADISON'S NOTES ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION:
13 June 1787, Madison paraphrases Morris, regarding Article 1, Section 7, Clause 1:
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