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Federalist No. 51 Vocab

From one of the Federalist Papers by James Madison.
42 words 16 learners

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  1. expedient
    appropriate to a purpose
    TO WHAT expedient, then, shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the Constitution?
  2. partition
    separation by the creation of a boundary that divides
    TO WHAT expedient, then, shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the Constitution?
  3. provisions
    a stock or supply of foods
    The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.
  4. defect
    a failing or deficiency
    The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.
  5. contrive
    make or work out a plan for; devise
    The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.
  6. constituent
    one of the individual parts making up a composite entity
    The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.
  7. hazard
    an unpredictable phenomenon that causes a certain result
    Without presuming to undertake a full development of this important idea, I will hazard a few general observations, which may perhaps place it in a clearer light, and enable us to form a more correct judgment of the principles and structure of the government planned by the convention.
  8. agency
    the state of being in action or exerting power
    In order to lay a due foundation for that separate and distinct exercise of the different powers of government, which to a certain extent is admitted on all hands to be essential to the preservation of liberty, it is evident that each department should have a will of its own; and consequently should be so constituted that the members of each should have as little agency as possible in the appointment of the members of the others.
  9. legislative
    relating to a lawmaking assembly
    In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates.
  10. deviation
    a variation from the standard or norm
    Some deviations, therefore, from the principle must be admitted.
  11. tenure
    the term during which some position is held
    In the constitution of the judiciary department in particular, it might be inexpedient to insist rigorously on the principle: first, because peculiar qualifications being essential in the members, the primary consideration ought to be to select that mode of choice which best secures these qualifications; secondly, because the permanent tenure by which the appointments are held in that department, must soon destroy all sense of dependence on the authority conferring them.
  12. confer
    present
    In the constitution of the judiciary department in particular, it might be inexpedient to insist rigorously on the principle: first, because peculiar qualifications being essential in the members, the primary consideration ought to be to select that mode of choice which best secures these qualifications; secondly, because the permanent tenure by which the appointments are held in that department, must soon destroy all sense of dependence on the authority conferring them.
  13. emolument
    compensation received by virtue of holding an office
    It is equally evident, that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others, for the emoluments annexed to their offices.
  14. annex
    attach to
    It is equally evident, that the members of each department should be as little dependent as possible on those of the others, for the emoluments annexed to their offices.
  15. nominal
    relating to or constituting or bearing or giving a name
    Were the executive magistrate, or the judges, not independent of the legislature in this particular, their independence in every other would be merely nominal.
  16. motive
    the reason that arouses action toward a desired goal
    But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others.
  17. encroachment
    any entry into an area not previously occupied
    But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others.
  18. provision
    the activity of supplying something
    The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack.
  19. commensurate
    corresponding in size or degree or extent
    The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack.
  20. oblige
    force somebody to do something
    In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.
  21. auxiliary
    furnishing added support
    A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.
  22. subordinate
    an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
    We see it particularly displayed in all the subordinate distributions of power, where the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other that the private interest of every individual may be a sentinel over the public rights.
  23. sentinel
    a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
    We see it particularly displayed in all the subordinate distributions of power, where the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other that the private interest of every individual may be a sentinel over the public rights.
  24. prudence
    discretion in practical affairs
    These inventions of prudence cannot be less requisite in the distribution of the supreme powers of the State.
  25. requisite
    necessary for relief or supply
    These inventions of prudence cannot be less requisite in the distribution of the supreme powers of the State.
  26. render
    give or supply
    The remedy for this inconveniency is to divide the legislature into different branches; and to render them, by different modes of election and different principles of action, as little connected with each other as the nature of their common functions and their common dependence on the society will admit.
  27. criterion
    the ideal in terms of which something can be judged
    If the principles on which these observations are founded be just, as I persuade myself they are, and they be applied as a criterion to the several State constitutions, and to the federal Constitution it will be found that if the latter does not perfectly correspond with them, the former are infinitely less able to bear such a test.
  28. federal
    of a government with central and regional authorities
    There are, moreover, two considerations particularly applicable to the federal system of America, which place that system in a very interesting point of view.
  29. usurpation
    wrongfully seizing and holding by force
    In a single republic, all the power surrendered by the people is submitted to the administration of a single government; and the usurpations are guarded against by a division of the government into distinct and separate departments.
  30. compound
    a whole formed by a union of two or more elements or parts
    In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments.
  31. allotted
    given as a task or a portion
    In the compound republic of America, the power surrendered by the people is first divided between two distinct governments, and then the portion allotted to each subdivided among distinct and separate departments.
  32. hereditary
    occurring among members of a family usually by heredity
    The first method prevails in all governments possessing an hereditary or self-appointed authority.
  33. sect
    a subdivision of a larger religious group
    It consists in the one case in the multiplicity of interests, and in the other in the multiplicity of sects.
  34. circumscribe
    draw a geometric figure around another figure
    This view of the subject must particularly recommend a proper federal system to all the sincere and considerate friends of republican government, since it shows that in exact proportion as the territory of the Union may be formed into more circumscribed Confederacies, or States oppressive combinations of a majority will be facilitated: the best security, under the republican forms, for the rights of every class of citizens, will be diminished: and consequently the stability and independence of s
  35. confederacy
    a union of political organizations
    This view of the subject must particularly recommend a proper federal system to all the sincere and considerate friends of republican government, since it shows that in exact proportion as the territory of the Union may be formed into more circumscribed Confederacies, or States oppressive combinations of a majority will be facilitated: the best security, under the republican forms, for the rights of every class of citizens, will be diminished: and consequently the stability and independence of s
  36. facilitate
    make easier
    This view of the subject must particularly recommend a proper federal system to all the sincere and considerate friends of republican government, since it shows that in exact proportion as the territory of the Union may be formed into more circumscribed Confederacies, or States oppressive combinations of a majority will be facilitated: the best security, under the republican forms, for the rights of every class of citizens, will be diminished: and consequently the stability and independence of s
  37. faction
    a dissenting clique
    In a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature, where the weaker individual is not secured against the violence of the stronger; and as, in the latter state, even the stronger individuals are prompted, by the uncertainty of their condition, to submit to a government which may protect the weak as well as themselves; so, in the former state, will the more powerful factions or parties
  38. reiterate
    say, state, or perform again
    It can be little doubted that if the State of Rhode Island was separated from the Confederacy and left to itself, the insecurity of rights under the popular form of government within such narrow limits would be displayed by such reiterated oppressions of factious majorities that some power altogether independent of the people would soon be called for by the voice of the very factions whose misrule had proved the necessity of it.
  39. factious
    dissenting with the majority opinion
    It can be little doubted that if the State of Rhode Island was separated from the Confederacy and left to itself, the insecurity of rights under the popular form of government within such narrow limits would be displayed by such reiterated oppressions of factious majorities that some power altogether independent of the people would soon be called for by the voice of the very factions whose misrule had proved the necessity of it.
  40. coalition
    the union of diverse things into one body or form or group
    In the extended republic of the United States, and among the great variety of interests, parties, and sects which it embraces, a coalition of a majority of the whole society could seldom take place on any other principles than those of justice and the general good; whilst there being thus less danger to a minor from the will of a major party, there must be less pretext, also, to provide for the security of the former, by introducing into the government a will not dependent on the latter, or, in
  41. pretext
    a fictitious reason that conceals the real reason
    In the extended republic of the United States, and among the great variety of interests, parties, and sects which it embraces, a coalition of a majority of the whole society could seldom take place on any other principles than those of justice and the general good; whilst there being thus less danger to a minor from the will of a major party, there must be less pretext, also, to provide for the security of the former, by introducing into the government a will not dependent on the latter, or, in
  42. notwithstanding
    despite anything to the contrary
    It is no less certain than it is important, notwithstanding the contrary opinions which have been entertained, that the larger the society, provided it lie within a practical sphere, the more duly capable it will be of self-government.
Created on Tue Jan 15 15:13:11 EST 2013 (updated Mon Jul 01 12:02:15 EDT 2013)

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