This statement suggests that men form their opinions solely off the basis of their property interests. However, Beard fails to acknowledge a critical passage from Federalist No. 10, which disclaims his statement by saying that people are, in fact, not as simple as Beard makes them seem. Madison says:.
"As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed. As long as the connection subsists between his reason and his self-love, his opinions and his passions will have a reciprocal effect on each other." (Madison A21-A22).
With this statement, Madison is saying that people are not perfect. Sometimes people reason clearly, and sometimes people do not. It is normal for people to have opinions and passions. However, not all passions are influenced by economic opinions. Sometimes our opinions will fuel our passions, but, on the contrary, our passions will sometimes overcome our opinions. Therefore, it is impractical for Beard to claim that our opinions are "emotional reactions" to our property interests. Beard uses Federalist No. 10 in order to show us that "the first and elemental concern of every government is economic" (Beard 120). Beard does not realize that even if this were true it does not necessarily mean that the Founders were influenced by their personal economic interests. Instead, it would most likely suggest that the Founders believed that the majority of people are motivated by economic factors and that this Constitution would best fit the will of the people. He gives Madison's response to his own question asking about the main causes of these conflicting political forces with which the government should focus on. Madison answers: "Of course fanciful and frivolous distinctions have sometimes been the cause of violent conflicts; but the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property.