Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Consensus vs Majority Voting

[Leif Weaver (leifweaver]

Once upon a time, perhaps in the 1200's, A community was discussing its
decision-making process. Some people, who were tired of being
disenfranchised, want to try a process they had recently heard of called
"majority vote". 

The Merchant stood up and said,
"I will not join a community that uses 'majority vote'! What is to keep you
from voting to make me pay for everything?"

And then a Farmer stood up.
"I have heard of a community that uses 'majority vote', and the shepherds of
that town convinced the rest of the town to vote to enslave the farmers, who
were in the minority."

And then the Priest spoke.
"I just counted the people in this community and realized that we are an
even number. What happens if the vote is tied? All progress will be
blocked!"

Next the Knight spoke.
"It seems that this 'majority vote' system is slow and arduous. I could have
made a dozen decisions in the time that it takes everyone to cast their
vote."

Then a Tinker stood up and spoke,
"I have traveled all around the country, and been to a number of communities
that use 'majority vote', and it seems to work just fine. When the vote
would otherwise be tied, the side with the most money can usually buy an
extra vote from one of the poorer people, and when a group that feels
powerfully about an issue is in the minority, they can intimidate the other
side into not voting. It is a good system.

The community talked about it for a while and decided to go ahead with the
'majority vote', but in case of problems they would have a 'trial by combat'
backup.

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