Final answer:
James Madison advocated for separate government departments as a way to protect freedom by creating a checks and balances system that would prevent any one branch from centralizing too much power, a concept explained in Federalist No. 51. His ideas were informed by flaws he saw in the Articles of Confederation, and led to the establishment of distinct powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches in the U.S. Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
James Madison concurred that the formation of separate government departments was fundamental in protecting the freedom of the people because it created a system of checks and balances, which prevented any one branch from gaining too much power.
In his contributions to the Federalist Papers, particularly in Federalist No. 51, Madison emphasized that by having each department possess a will of its own and be independent in its sphere of action, it was less likely that any department could usurp control over the entire government.
The checks and balances system is essential to maintaining liberty, asserting that 'ambition must be made to counteract ambition' to keep government powers under control and aligned with the Constitution and the will of the people.
Madison's perspective was informed by his objection to the weaknesses he perceived in the Articles of Confederation, particularly the lack of central authority and the encroachment of various states on each other's laws. He championed a strong yet balanced national government over separate confederacies, as exhibited in Federalist No. 10 and by his actions in the lead-up to the Constitutional Convention.
Furthermore, the separation of powers was seen as a classic example of Madisonian thought reflecting in the provisions of the Constitution where the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches were all provided distinct and separate powers, remaining accountable to the people while also maintaining an equilibrium of power.