Re: Consensus Development

[Vince Wolodkin <wolodkin@digitalink.com>]

The definition of consensus I have seen in the past, or at least the one
I thought to be pretty cool went something like this:(modified slightly
to fit our needs)

"I recognize that in a large and diverse group that reaching complete
agreement is rather unlikely.  And though I disagree with some of the
conclusions reached in the draft, I recognize the need to move forward
and promise to work diligently to support the draft's conclusions"

When we reach the point where a large majority of this group could feel
comfortable with the above paragraph, then I would say the draft had
reached consensus.

Vince Wolodkin

David Collier-Brown wrote:
> 
> 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
> 185 Ellerslie Ave.,   | astonish the rest.        -- Mark Twain
> Willowdale, Ontario   | davecb@hobbes.ss.org, canada.sun.com
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