Final answer:
James Madison believed that a government's power should be derived from the people, aligning with the principle of republicanism and the Enlightenment ideas advocating for a balanced government structure with checks and balances.
Step-by-step explanation:
James Madison believed that a government's power to rule should come from the consent of the governed, which meant that political authority should originate from the people themselves. Within the framework of the United States Constitution, the power of governance is granted by the people through representatives they elect, embodying the principles of republicanism. This philosophy of government, articulated in the late 1780s, was a departure from monarchical systems and reflected the Enlightenment ideals of philosophers like John Locke and Montesquieu, advocating for a government accountable to its citizens and built on a structure of separate branches with checks and balances.
In creating the Constitution, Madison and the other framers emphasized the important concept that the federal government's authority was limited and clearly defined, while state powers were numerous and indefinite. This balance was achieved through the separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, ensuring no single branch could dominate. The system created was unique, not merely a central authority or a confederation of sovereign states, but a blend of both, reflecting Madison's and others' revolutionary vision for the new American government.