The Founding Fathers & Political Parties

Questions

1. What did the Founders think about political parties?
2. What do "philosophical republicans" believe?
3. Why did the Founders start political parties?

Answers

1. They thought that political parties would destroy representative government, and there was no room in the electorate for them -- until they disagreed with the policies of the current administration.
2. Successful representative governments require the subordination of individual personal interests to the welfare of the community: the political process is all about the common good, and not about disagreement or competition.
3. Because ultimately, consensus was too difficult to maintain when so many people had different visions of what direction America should head in.