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Full Idea
A majority being in favour of some course of action is the acceptable means of reaching decisions when no vital interest of a minority is endangered.
Gist of Idea
Majority decisions are only acceptable if the minority interests are not vital
Source
A.C. Grayling (The Good State [2020], 1)
Book Ref
Grayling,A.C.: 'The Good State' [Oneworld 2021], p.22
A Reaction
This is generally accepted in extreme cases, such as the majority voting to exterminate the minority. The difficulty is to decide what is a 'vital' interest, and to get the majority to care about it.
| 22549 | In many cases, the claim that the majority is superior would apply equally to wild beasts [Aristotle] |
| 7238 | Minorities only accept majority-voting because of a prior unanimous agreement [Rousseau] |
| 23530 | The great danger of democracy is that the oppression of the minority becomes unobjectionable [Hart,HLA] |
| 20287 | If 49% of the population can be wrong, so can 51% [Singer] |
| 23253 | Majority decisions are only acceptable if the minority interests are not vital [Grayling] |
| 20509 | Occasional defeat is acceptable, but a minority that is continually defeated is a problem [Wolff,J] |