--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [James] Madison pointed out in the…" description: "\"[James] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. He used..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/noam-chomsky-42_constitutional-conve_james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discuss_22456.jpg" --- # \[James\] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the… ![“[James] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. He used England of course as the model and said suppose that in England everyone had the free right to vote; the poor, the propertyless - who are the…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/noam-chomsky-42_constitutional-conve_james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discuss_22456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/noam-chomsky-42_constitutional-conve_james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discuss_22456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/069/noam-chomsky-42_constitutional-conve_james-madison-pointed-out-in-the-discuss_22456.jpg) > “\[James\] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. He used England of course as the model and said suppose that in England everyone had the free right to vote; the poor, the propertyless - who are the great majority - would use their voting power to take away the rights of property owners to carry out what we would call land reform.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Madison warned that universal suffrage could enable majority rule to undermine property rights, using England as a cautionary example. **In simple terms:** Majority rule may threaten property rights Key Takeaway Unchecked democracy can erode property protections Themes political theory property rights democracy majority rule historical caution constitutional design Mood cautious analytical Type historical observation political warning When to use this quote - legislative debates - constitutional conventions - policy reforms - public referenda - social movements Key Concepts suffrage land reform class dynamics institutional safeguards Practical Applications - constitutional drafting - civic education Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can prevent majority tyranny? - How do modern democracies reconcile universal voting with property rights? A Different Perspective Some argue that broader suffrage strengthens legitimacy and can be balanced by constitutional checks without sacrificing democracy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitutional convention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-convention/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Debate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debate/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Right to vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-to-vote/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) ## Related quotes > [Democracy is a danger to any powerful group.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/democracy-is-a-danger-to-any-powerful-group/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Is our democracy in danger? It is a question we never thought we’d be asking. 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Lambert > [I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-therefore-beg-leave-to-move-that-henceforth-prayers-imploring-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I firmly believe this ... that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the builders of Babel:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-firmly-believe-this-that-without-his-concurring-aid-we-shall/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I am exceedingly distressed at the proceedings of the Convention-being ... almost sure, they will ... lay the foundation of a Civil War.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbridge-gerry/i-am-exceedingly-distressed-at-the-proceedings-of-the-convention/) [Elbridge Gerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbridge-gerry/) > [Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/outside-independence-hall-when-the-constitutional-convention-of-1787/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Treason the only crime defined in the Constitution. 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Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow-2/) > [Outside Independence Hall when the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/outside-independence-hall-when-the-constitutional-convention-of-1787/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I am exceedingly distressed at the proceedings of the Convention-being ... almost sure, they will ... lay the foundation of a Civil War.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbridge-gerry/i-am-exceedingly-distressed-at-the-proceedings-of-the-convention/) [Elbridge Gerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbridge-gerry/) > [I firmly believe this ... that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the builders of Babel:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-firmly-believe-this-that-without-his-concurring-aid-we-shall/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-therefore-beg-leave-to-move-that-henceforth-prayers-imploring-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“By their actions, the Founding Fathers made clear that their primary concern was religious freedom, not the advancement of a state religion. 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Lambert > [“ Alexander Hamilton Junior High School -- SEMESTER REPORT -- STUDENT: Joseph Margolis TEACHER: Janet Hicks ENGLISH: A, ARITHMETIC: A, SOCIAL STUDIES: A, SCIENCE:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kluger/alexander-hamilton-junior-high-school-semester-report-student-joseph/) [Steve Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kluger/) > [I consider the difference between a system founded on the legislatures only, and one founded on the people, to be the true difference between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/i-consider-the-difference-between-a-system-founded-on-the/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“The delegates to the Constitutional Convention were adamant that impeachment not reach to errors of judgment, or what Edmund Randolph described as “a willful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mccarthy/the-delegates-to-the-constitutional-convention-were-adamant-that/) [Andrew McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mccarthy/) > [The deliberate union of so great and various a people in such a place, is without all partiality or prejudice, if not the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-deliberate-union-of-so-great-and-various-a-people-in-such-a-place/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [A lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy - "A republic," replied the Doctor, "if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-lady-asked-dr-franklin-well-doctor-what-have-we-got-a-republic-or-a/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“On the first day of the meeting that would become known as the United States Constitutional Convention, Edmund Randolph of Virginia kicked off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hogeland/on-the-first-day-of-the-meeting-that-would-become-known-as-the-united/) William Hogeland > [If you look at the minutes of the constitutional convention - which we have - Madison who was the main framer, proceeded to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-look-at-the-minutes-of-the-constitutional-convention-which-we/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Browse all 68 Constitutional convention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-convention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[James] Madison pointed out in the discussion of the constitutional debates - the constitutional convention - that democracy would be a danger. 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