Why did James Madison initially view factions as a danger to democracies?

James Madison viewed factions as a profound danger to democracies because they were groups of citizens—whether a majority or a minority—united by a common impulse of passion or interest that was adverse to the rights of others or the permanent interests of the community.1

In his analysis in Federalist 10, Madison argued that the instability, injustice, and confusion caused by factionalism were the mortal diseases that had historically caused popular governments to perish. He believed that because people are often driven by self-interest and are only imperfectly rational, factions could easily lead to the oppression of one segment of the population by another or the betrayal of the public trust by representatives.12

To mitigate these dangers, Madison advocated for a large republic rather than a small democracy. He argued that a larger territory and population would create a greater diversity of interests, making it more difficult for powerful, unified factions to form and dominate the government.31