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Full Idea
The actual principle of being content with majority decisions must be accepted unanimously and embodied in a contract, and this itself must be the ultimate basis on which a civil constitution is established.
Gist of Idea
There must be a unanimous contract that citizens accept majority decisions
Source
Immanuel Kant (True in Theory, but not in Practice [1792], 2-3)
Book Ref
Kant,Immanuel: 'Political Writings', ed/tr. Reiss,Hans [CUP 1996], p.79
A Reaction
This is the contract which combines a social contract with democracy. We unanimously agree not to be unanimous? Cf Idea 21065. What should the minority do when the majority elect criminal Nazi leaders?
Related Idea
Idea 21065 You can't make a contract renouncing your right to make contracts! [Kant]
| 21060 | It can't be a duty to strive after the impossible [Kant] |
| 21059 | General rules of action also need a judgement about when to apply them [Kant] |
| 21061 | Duty does not aim at an end, but gives rise to universal happiness as aim of the will [Kant] |
| 21062 | The will's motive is the absolute law itself, and moral feeling is receptivity to law [Kant] |
| 21064 | A lawful civil state must embody freedom, equality and independence for its members [Kant] |
| 21063 | Personal contracts are for some end, but a civil state contract involves a duty to share [Kant] |
| 21066 | Citizens can rise to any rank that talent, effort and luck can achieve [Kant] |
| 21065 | You can't make a contract renouncing your right to make contracts! [Kant] |
| 21068 | There must be a unanimous contract that citizens accept majority decisions [Kant] |
| 21067 | A citizen must control his own life, and possess property or an important skill [Kant] |
| 21069 | A contract is theoretical, but it can guide rulers to make laws which the whole people will accept [Kant] |
| 21071 | There can be no restraints on freedom if reason does not reveal some basic rights [Kant] |
| 21070 | A law is unjust if the whole people could not possibly agree to it [Kant] |
| 21072 | The people (who have to fight) and not the head of state should declare a war [Kant] |