Madison on Sympathy, Virtue, and Ambition in the "Federalist Papers"

James Madison’s Psychology of Public Opinion

“…For this reason, one of the objects of Publius was to construct institutions and processes that tie the weaker, more benevolent social affections to the more forceful motives of self-interest. One such example is in the case of representatives where serving the public interest is consistent with a representative's ambition to remain in power due to periodic elections (Koblyka and Carter 1987;Sorenson 1995).…”

“…Another element of this psychology is the diminution of the social passions or affections with physical distance or infrequent interaction (Howe 1987;Sinopoli 1992;Sorenson 1995). This aspect of the faculty psychology of Publius, and the later Madison, bears significant resemblance to the moral theory of Adam Smith (Fleischacker 2002).…”

“…Because reason and the more positive social passions or affections, like patriotism, are both weak motives for action and become even more diluted with distance (Howe 1987;Scanlan 1959;Sorenson 1995;Strahan 2003). They require the reinforcement of the majority to activate them.…”

Jay’s Pirouette, or Why Political Trust is Not the Same as Personal Trust

“…Madison, too, made frequent reference in The Federalist Papers to "the sympathy of sentiments" between public officials and citizens. Sorenson (1995) interpreted this to mean a "communion of interest"; rulers and ruled "must each be moved by the same interest" (p. 435). For Madison, the Constitution itself created the conditions that allowed virtue to arise and flourish.…”

“…Institutional arrangements directed and enabled officials to act in ways sympathetic to the needs of citizens. According to Sorenson (1995), "The conclusion to be drawn is that government will degenerate into tyranny unless the rulers and the people possess the same sentiments" (p. 435). In the constitutional scheme, virtues (such as sympathy) collide with passions (such as ambition), producing an amalgam of motivations to explain political behavior.…”