A Common Consensus

Harrison Owen hhowen at verizon.net
Thu Aug 14 06:05:36 PDT 2008


Peter - Tyranny by the majority is certainly a downside of Democracy as
practiced in my country (USA). That said, it seems to me that there are
circumstances where it is the preferable alternative. The passage of the
Civil Rights Act here in the US was vociferously and often violently opposed
by a very vocal minority, however I would doubt that many black Americans
opposed the vigorous enforcement of that act, and fortunately (for the good
of the country) a majority of all Americans, regardless of hue, were in
agreement. 

 

Consensus politics has much to commend it, but it too has its downsides.
Resolution at the lowest common denominator is one such, which often appears
to be no resolution at all. Alternatively, the whole system may simply
become paralyzed. At such times, I for one find myself longing for a
straight up or down vote. There is also such a thing a Tyranny of Consensus,
I think. 

 

Perhaps it is useful to think in terms of both/and as opposed to either/or?
For example, Majority Rule, as in the case of the Civil Rights act, was
possible only because of a prior consensus in the American Population that
the Rule of Law was to be preferred even if you were on the wrong side of
the Law.

 

I suspect that the situation is infinitely more complicated than the simple
alternative (Consensus/Majority Rule). My learning has been that our
capacity to design and implement effective systems of all sorts (political,
corporate, etc) is limited at best. We simply cannot comprehend the infinite
complexity and random occurrences (essential chaos), characteristic of all
living systems. Our solutions are always approximations, and try as we
might, we will never get it "right" - and for sure we will never be in
control.  This doesn't mean that we shouldn't keep trying, but I think it is
essential that we understand the true status of our creations - they are
maps, and never to be confused with the territory. Like all maps, some are
better than others, and as conditions change these maps become more or less
relevant/accurate.

 

We really get in trouble when we decide that there is "One Right Way." This
effectively limits our options and reduces the living space (open space).
Pushed to extremes the system will die - which is the end state of all
systems, regardless. When you run out of space/time you run out of life.
Fortunately our maps do not create the systems, and our systems are
infinitely more robust than our designs could ever be. Are they perfect? No.
They are always on the way to something new. And if they ever get "there"
that will be the end, I think.

 

Harrison

 

  

 

Harrison Owen

189 Beaucaire Ave

Camden, ME 04843

207-763-3261 (Summer)

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Website www.openspaceworld.com 

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  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Peter
Emerson
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 5:21 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: A Common Consensus

 

Dear Jack, 

 

They key, then, is to ask these folks, do they believe in democracy?  Yes?
Oh jolly good.  And do they believe democracy is for everybody, or just a
majority?  And if they agree to the former, away you go.

 

Mediation works only when the parties to the dispute agree to it.  Democracy
should work for all democrats.  Russians and Georgians claim the adjective.
But the idea that a majority can determine the fate of an unwilling minority
should be abhorrent. to both.  

 

Cheers, 

 

Peter

 

 

Peter Emerson

Director, The de Borda Institute

36 Ballysillan Road

Belfast BT14 7QQ

 

028 90 711795

078 377 17979

 

pemerson at deborda.org

www.deborda.org

 

The Borda count "is the best protection ever devised from the tyranny of the
majority."  Professor Sir Michael Dummett.

  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Jack
Martin Leith
Sent: 14 August 
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: A Common Consensus

 

Peter,

 

Thanks for taking the trouble to explain the method in so much detail. I've
turned your post into a Word document and filed it under Decision Making
Methods for future reference.

 

The challenge is getting people's agreement to use the method.

 

Catch-22!

 

Warm wishes,

 

Jack 

Jack Martin Leith
Now-to-New activist
Bristol, United Kingdom
Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541)
Skype: jackmartinleith
email: jack at jackmartinleith.com
www.jackmartinleith.com

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