Final answer:
James Madison, in Federalist No. 10, critiqued pure democracies as prone to conflict, advocating for a republican form of government as a solution to control factions and protect minority rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Federalist No. 10, James Madison addressed the concerns regarding the potential for a ruling elite to dominate politics. He asserted that Americans should not fear the influence of factions or special interests because the republic was expansive and diverse, preventing the formation of dominant political parties. Furthermore, elected representatives, chosen for their exemplary merit, would act as a safeguard against control by a biased majority with self-interests.
Against the framework of democracies, Madison described them as historically being "spectacles of turbulence and contention," unable to provide personal security or safeguard property rights. He noted that democracies were often short-lived and ended violently due to the unchecked power of majority rule over minority rights. This perspective underlined a preference for republicanism, which fostered compromises and was perceived to better defend against the excesses of direct democracy through a system of elected representatives.
The mistrust in pure democracy arose from the concern that the minority rights, especially of property owners, could be overrun by a majority. The idea prevailed that landowners, being freeholders, were the most likely to preserve the liberties essential to a republic. Hence, the benefits of republicanism were promoted as a means to control factions and maintain balanced governance, while fervently opposing the potential perils of unrestrained democratic rule.