Re: Consensus Development

[David Collier-Brown <davecb@Canada.Sun.COM>]

Jeff Williams wrote:
>   I cannot dissagree with you more on this point.  A vote, is one of the
> most wonderful means of determining a consensus that man has ever
> devised.
> It is used to determine our political process and relfect the will of
> the
> people, isn't that a consensus?  

  Well, no: it traditionally refers to an election with a simple
majority.  If 50% plus 1 person vote yea, the measure is passed.

  This, without remarkabel systems of checks and balances, leads to 
a phenomenon called ``the tyrany of the majority''.  In the political
sphere, the years after french revolution was the classical example.  
  The U.S founding fathers, having learned from the french experience,
created checks and balances.

  Other people used different mechanisms.  New England town meetings
are an example, with some very carefull if informal rules of order
and often real care to make sure that minorities aren't left out.

  Consensus, or ``rough consensus and working code'' is a similar
mechanism.  A yehoo search is interesting...

--dave
--
David Collier-Brown,  | Always do right. This will gratify some people
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