Skip to main content

Majority Rule and Minority Rights
The essence of democracy is majority rule, the making of binding decisions by a vote of more than one-half of all persons who participate in an election. However, constitutional democracy in our time requires majority rule with minority rights. Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States, expressed this concept of democracy in 1801 in his First Inaugural Address. He said,

All . . . will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect and to violate would be oppression.


In every genuine democracy today, majority rule is both endorsed and limited by the supreme law of the constitution, which protects the rights of individuals. Tyranny by minority over the majority is barred, but so is tyranny of the majority against minorities.

This fundamental principle of constitutional democracy, majority rule coupled with the protection of minority rights, is embedded in the constitutions of all genuine democracies today. The 1992 constitution of the Czech Republic, for example, recognizes the concepts of majority rule and minority rights. Article VI says, "Political decisions shall stem from the will of the majority, expressed by means of a free vote. The majority’s decisions must heed the protection of the minorities." The Czech constitution is filled with statements of guaranteed civil liberties, which the constitutional government must not violate and which it is empowered to protect.

Majority rule is limited in order to protect minority rights, because if it were unchecked it probably would be used to oppress persons holding unpopular views. Unlimited majority rule in a democracy is potentially just as despotic as the unchecked rule of an autocrat or an elitist minority political party.

In every constitutional democracy, there is ongoing tension between the contradictory factors of majority rule and minority rights. Therefore, public officials in the institutions of representative government must make authoritative decisions about two questions. When, and under what conditions, should the rule of the majority be curtailed in order to protect the rights of the minority? And, conversely, when, and under what conditions, must the rights of the minority be restrained in order to prevent the subversion of majority rule?

These questions are answered on a case-by-case basis in every constitutional democracy in such a way that neither majority rule nor minority rights suffer permanent or irreparable damage. Both majority rule and minority rights must be sa***uarded to sustain justice in a constitutional democracy.



By John Patrick, Understanding Democracy, A Hip Pocket Guide (Oxford University Press)

http://www.annenbergclassroom....-and-minority-rights

 

Ready, discuss!

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Yes, people should not be allowed to vote on another person's rights as an individual. If that were to happen (and it has in the past), we would probably still be owning slaves and black people would have separate drinking fountains. That would be especially true here in the South where people are not happy unless they have someone to discriminate against.

Originally Posted by David L.:

Yes, people should not be allowed to vote on another person's rights as an individual. If that were to happen (and it has in the past), we would probably still be owning slaves and black people would have separate drinking fountains. That would be especially true here in the South where people are not happy unless they have someone to discriminate against.

=======================

Yes, oh yes, it is only the South that doesn't like your man on man love. Especially the Southern muslims.  Oh yes, Southerners just can't stand it because we can't own slaves like other countries and ethnic groups and religious sects such as muslims (women), and we sure do miss our own personal water fountains. Where are public water fountains btw? Like I'd use a public fountain in this day and age when the 'enlightened' part of society might just "seed" those water fountains with some disease or a bomb, kill a few people and claim it's because someone was mean to him and his boyfriend, looked at them wrong because of their color, or the women here show their ankles and that pi***** off allah.

 I'm getting a little tired seeing people speaking up for a group and they spit in their face and jump on message boards to whine and cry about the South, when it's all over the country. David, leave, and take RP with you. No one has chains on either of you. Go where you will be appreciated and loved. Get a history lesson too, while you're at it. Go where YOU don't have to discriminate and blame an area for your woes. If I had employees so unhappy, I do believe I'd fire them so they could be free to go seek that paradise they claim is everywhere but here.

Last edited by Bestworking

 

Originally Posted by direstraits:

Let them go a questing to find Big Rock Candy Mountain.

LOL! You should have posted the lyrics! Perfect marching song for the lefties!! Just a few of the lyrics.

 

 

 

 

Oh the buzzin' of the bees in the cigarette trees

The soda water fountain where the lemonade springs

And the bluebird sings in that Big Rock Candy Mountain

 

On a summer day In the month of May A burly bum came a hiking

 Down a shady lane Through the sugar cane

He was looking for his liking

As he strolled along He sang a song

Of the land of milk and honey

Where a bum can stay

For many a day

And he won't need any money

 

 

 

In the Big Rock Candy Mountain The cops have wooden legs

The bulldogs all have rubber teeth And the hens lay soft-boiled eggs

The farmers' trees are full of fruit The barns are full of hay

I want to go where there ain't no snow Where the sleet don't fall and the wind don't blow

In that Big Rock Candy Mountain

 

There's a lake of gin We can both jump in

And the handouts grow on bushes

In the new-mown hay We can sleep all day

And the bars all have free lunches

 

In the Big Rock Candy Mountain, The jails are made of tin.

You can slip right out again, As soon as they put you in.

There ain't no short-handled shovels, No axes, saws nor picks, I'm bound to stay Where you sleep all day,

Where they hung the jerk That invented work In the Big Rock Candy Mountain.

 

Yes, you are a  broken record, and it's getting tiresome. I am beginning to understand the feelings some have against 'people like you'. Take that one anyway you want to take it. No, it isn't more prevalent in the South. Again, feel free to leave, no one has chains on you, and if it's so much more wonderful somewhere else, wth are you waiting for? You might find out it's a lot worse. Those little pockets of 'acceptance' you find aren't the entire country. Progress eh? Where??? Where every POS from every POS country is taking over and trying to push the country back to the stone ages? That progress?

Originally Posted by David L.:
Originally Posted by OldSalt:

Wow!  This all too rapidly digressed into uncivil discourse. 

 

This person does not know the meaning of "discourse".

=================

Since you started the insults and snarky remarks, I take it you are "this person".

================

The first post on the thread. Yes, I have to say you are the "this person" you are posting about.

 

Yes, people should not be allowed to vote on another person's rights as an individual. If that were to happen (and it has in the past), we would probably still be owning slaves and black people would have separate drinking fountains. That would be especially true here in the South where people are not happy unless they have someone to discriminate against.

 

Last edited by Bestworking
Originally Posted by David L.:
Originally Posted by Bestworking:

Yes, you are a  broken record, and it's getting tiresome.

Dearie, the same thing can be said about your narrow "us vs. them" mentality and your idiotic liberal conspiracies. Do you sit at home in your underwear at the computer or do you have a real job?

================

What conspiracies? News reports, current events, and facts are now conspiracies? "Us vs them". Like your slave and water fountain comments? Like the left dividing people by race, religion, income, areas of the country, attacking police officers and trying every other way possible to divide the country? That 'us vs them'?  Like your people crying because someone won't make them a wedding cake, and instead of getting someone else to do it they mess their undies and go crying to others to punish/boycott the meanies? That 'us vs them'? All the fake stories by 'your people' about mistreatment by others? Those conspiracies? That "us vs them"? Yes, I have a real job. We own our business as you well know. I like it too. I don't have to work with the dregs of society while I work and they complain. I am not now, nor was I ever exploited by an employer. Of course lefties think everyone is exploited, because for a lefty exploitation means when they're asked to do their jobs and earn their pay.

Last edited by Bestworking

Salt, I often wonder about this. Praying in school seems to me to be one of those things that the majority should rule. If it's ok with the majority of parents it's not hurting the kids whose parents don't want them to pray to sit there quietly and daydream while the other kids are praying. I'm not a religious, praying person either. I did work in a school where the majority of parents and teachers were Christians and would have liked public prayer.

Originally Posted by David L.:

The broken record keeps spinning.

Of course, intolerance, racism, etc. exist everywhere but it is more prevalent in the South. That is why Southeastern states are the last to embrace progress.

___________________________________________
You really need to get out more, round and about the nation,  Not all that appears shiny and new is progress, just as all that glitters is not gold -- many times just fools gold.

Originally Posted by peede coober:

Salt, I often wonder about this. Praying in school seems to me to be one of those things that the majority should rule. If it's ok with the majority of parents it's not hurting the kids whose parents don't want them to pray to sit there quietly and daydream while the other kids are praying. I'm not a religious, praying person either. I did work in a school where the majority of parents and teachers were Christians and would have liked public prayer.

===============

Then let them stay home and pray. Why should religion be in schools? Just how much religion and prayer does a child need that they have to have it at school? How about the many different religions and denominations? Which one is to dominate? How many prayers a day would you allow? Let the kids that are praying sit there quietly and daydream their prayers while the other kids are doing what they're sent to school to do, learn. Parents don't send them to church to learn algebra, so don't send kids to school to learn and participate in religion. If that's what you want, take them out of school and send them to church everyday, or send them to a private bible school. Also, one thing the fanatic religious don't think about, the majority might not want their kids praying in school if they have to pray to other's gods.

Last edited by Bestworking
Originally Posted by peede coober:

Salt, I often wonder about this. Praying in school seems to me to be one of those things that the majority should rule. If it's ok with the majority of parents it's not hurting the kids whose parents don't want them to pray to sit there quietly and daydream while the other kids are praying. I'm not a religious, praying person either. I did work in a school where the majority of parents and teachers were Christians and would have liked public prayer.

------------------------------------------------------

I don't have a problem with individuals or groups praying in school, but for the school system itself to endorse and for the teachers to lead prayer in front of the class and public property, such as PA systems to be used, crosses a boundary in my opinion.  Public schools are there for all students, and all the students must be treated equally.  If the school system or a teacher endorses one particular religion and teachers lead prayer in the classroom, then the perception may develop within students not of that religion will not be treated fairly.  Such perceptions can often be self-fulfilling and the student will not perform to their full capabilities. 

Originally Posted by peede coober:

Yes, that makes sense. I guess praying in school wasn't a good choice to illustrate majority rule. Did you have something specific in mind when you started this post Salt?

---------------------------------

Nothing specific in mind, just a general question to throw out to start a discussion. 

Add Reply

Post

Untitled Document
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×