On James Madison's Pluralist Political Theory

James Madison is a well-known politician and political theorist of the United States in 18th-century, and one of the founding fathers. He is called the Father of the U.S. Constitution. Madison's pluralist political philosophy laid the foundation of the Constitution's political theory, and Madison made an outstanding contribution to the creation of the American political system.Madison inherited the essence of classical liberalism, classical republicanism and the Calvinism, and responded to the times' requirements and challenges after American Revolution, so he presented his pluralist republicanism. Propriety, moderation and sense of balance were features of Madison's political theory, these features reflected in his republicanism definitely. This republicanism included two mechanisms, namely the mechanism of "separation of powers" and "checks and balances", and the mechanism of interest groups. Firstly, the mechanism of "separation of powers" and "checks and balances". This mechanism divided into: horizontal separation of powers and checks and balances, namely the system of checks and balances between legislative, executive and judicial branches; vertical separation of powers and checks and balances, namely the system of checks and balances between state governments and federal government. Secondly, the mechanism of interest groups. He believed that the difference of the individual's capacity and property was inevitable, so the government could not make it right to eliminate, only to respect the resulting social stratification and encourage unlimited division, as well as establish the political structure with the principle of "separation of powers" and "checks and balances", as serving the various interest groups by providing an institutional means for their interest demands and the influence of government decision-making.Madison's political philosophy provided a complete theoretical basis for the legitimacy and the foundation of the U.S. federal government, and he was a forerunner of Pluralist Democracy which dominates in the present American political situation. The biggest problem of Madison's political philosophy was that it emphasized freedom but not equality, but economic equality is the most fundamental basis for political democracy. The limitation of Madison's political theory also impacted the political theory and practice of the present American society.In the building of socialist democratic politics with Chinese characteristics, we should be with the guidance of the Marxist position, view, and principles, not copy the Western political models, and learn form Madison's political thought which can be used as reference factors with a scientific attitude, then build and improve Chinese socialist political system of checks and balances, and further cultivate the awareness and capacity of citizens' political participation, thereby strengthening and improving our people's democratic dictatorship.