"What about a rule requiring less than unanimity but more than a bare majority? Might not a rule be found, as Rousseau suggested, that would balance the need for speed with the seriousness of the matter to be decided? These intermediate supermajority solutions are, however, subject to several objections. First, by allowing a minority to veto a majority decision they reduce the number of citizens who can exercise self-determination, which as Majoitarian pointed out is maximized by majority rule. Second, nothing short of unanimity will get around the intractable problem of voting cycles. Third, as Majoritarian also pointed out, supermajority requirements privilege that status quo and that preserve existing injustices against reform by a majority decision."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Robert A. Dahl, Democracy and Its Critics (1989), Ch. 11 : Is There a Better Alternative?
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Supermajority
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Supermajority
1 quote on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Supermajority →
Related Quotes
"Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we'll do it in conjunction wi…"
"It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed. The Members of the Board will be announced …"
"Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Cana…"
"We (United Kingdom) won't be one of the signatories today because this is a legal treaty that raises much broader iss…"
"Ever since it became eminently clear that Donald Trump had MAGA-tized the Republican party and would become its presi…"
"I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying…"
"Project 2025 is a conservative coalition's plan for a future Republican U.S. presidential administration. If voters e…"
"History teaches that a President’s power to implement an agendais at its apex during the Administration’s opening day…"
"Today the Left is threatening the tax-exempt status of churches and charities that reject woke progressivism. They wi…"
"We want you! The 2025 Presidential Transition Project is the conservative movement’s unified effort to be ready for t…"