Comparing Madison's ideas against Karl Marx's proposition of a new form of government (or aptly, a new social order) through Communism, salient differences emerge that highlight how Madison's democracy and Marx's Communism can be found in the opposite poles on the spectrum that is the political school of thoughts. Marx's The Communist Manifesto reflected human history's transition from a traditional to a capitalist society, and eventually, to a Communist society. This transition was a result of a history-long struggle of the "oppressed," who Marx referred to as the "proletariat," the social class that will eventually elevate the status quo of society from an oppressive to an egalitarian one -- that is, through Communism. Marx argues that transitions throughout history prior to the establishment of a Communist societydid not offer any the "class antagonisms" that existed in society:
The history of all past society has consisted in the development of class antagonisms, antagonisms that assumed different forms at different epochs… But whatever form they may have taken, one fact is common to all past ages, viz., the exploitation of one part of society by the other… despite all the multiplicity and variety it displays, moves within certain common forms, or general ideas, which cannot completely canish except with the total disappearance of class antagonisms.
Marx, in fact, refers to capitalism as a form of 'multiciplity' of previous societies that have supported class antagonisms. He asserts that it is not any different to societies that it preceded, and only Communism completely addresses the need of humanityto establish a new world order, wherein class antagonisms -- in fact, social class itself -- will be abolished. Under a Communist society, class antagonisms will cease to exist because this new social order eliminates the concept of private property: all resources will be allocated equally among all members of the society, and the Communist society will be headed by a government whose role is to ensure a fair resource allocation and indoctrination of the principles behind this new, classless society.
Like Madison, Marx's ideas are basically founded on the history of class antagonisms, of which capitalist democracy is often cited as a modern example of this 'multiplicity.' In fact, Communism cannot be developed without the ideas Marx observed in the rise of capitalism in Western nations during his time (20th century), and both Madison and Marx are actually promoting a society where freedom remains uncurbed by any individual or group. Communism's right to rule rests also on the same foundation democracy is based upon: freedom. Under Communism, Marx continues to fight for people's freedom by freeing them from any social classification, therefore his idea of a classless society. He also went further his idea, calling people to take action by allowing themselves, the people, to "freely and equally determine the terms of their social cooperation" (Mostov, 1989:202).
Differences aside, both Madison's idea of a democratic form of government and Marx's Communist, classless society have the right to rule human societies. However, history also bore witness that what differentiated democracy from Communism was the manner by which both have been executed or implemented. The success of these political ideologies is mainly dependent on a government's and/or society's political will to truly preserve freedom for the majority, and not only to the few.
References
Fukuyama, F. (2006). The End of History and the Last Man. NY: Free Press.
Madison, J. E-text of The Federalist No. 10. Available at: http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm
Marx, K and F. Engels. E-text of The Communist Manifesto. Available at: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm
Mostov, J. (1989). "Karl Marx as Democratic Theorist." Polity, Vol. 22, No. 2.
Rosen, G. (1996). "James Madison and the Problem of Founding." The Review of Politics, Vol. 58, No. 3.
