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Madisonian

Madisonian

9.9
A person who supports James Madison's ideas about government and the Constitution
  • noun
  • /ˌmædɪˈsoʊniən/
: madisoniano
  • The Madisonian perspective emphasizes the need for a strong yet limited government.

Examples

  • Many Madisonians argue that individual rights must be protected against majority rule.

  • First, he asserts that, under a "Madisonian" view of the Constitution and the First Amendment, the central purpose of American constitutional government is to further deliberative democracy.

    Academic text (1996)
  • "They were not in the business of acknowledging the Lincolnian view (which is also a Washingtonian, Madisonian, and Lockean view) that one's labor is a form of private property and that diligent labor leading to the accumulation of property is essential to a free society.

    Academic text (2011)
  • A true Madisonian believes in the importance of checks and balances in government.

Surface Forms

Madisonian singular
Madisonians plural

Morphology

Madisonian = Madison (transparent) = Madison + ian

The suffix '-ian' also forms nouns meaning 'supporter or follower of' when attached to a person's name (Madison → Madisonian).

Etymology

Madisonian comes from the name Madison plus the ending -ian, which can mean 'supporter' or 'follower', so a Madisonian is someone who follows James Madison's ideas about government and limits on power.