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Majority rule is a decision-making principle used in various contexts, including elections and legislative votes. It does not apply in countries with proportional representation systems. The concept of “supermajority” requires a two-thirds majority for some decisions. The minority can be marginalized, leading to the “tyranny of the majority.” Constitutional protections in the US protect minorities from this tyranny.
The concept of majority rule dictates that a numerical majority can make a decision that will apply to all parties involved in the decision-making process. This principle places emphasis on decision-making rather than consensus within a group. Majority rule is employed in a variety of contexts, such as elections, votes in board meetings, and legislative votes.
Many democratic societies use this rule in local and international elections. For example, the United States, a constitutional republic, uses this principle in its elections. In these cases, there is only one winner. If a Republican and a Democrat run for a seat in Congress, the candidate with the most votes will win the seat.
Some decisions require more than a simple majority. For example, if the President of the United States vetoes legislation passed by Congress, the Senate and House of Representatives can override the presidential veto with a two-thirds majority. While the concept of “supermajority” differs slightly from majority rule, which grants any numerical majority, the principle is still the same. There is a clear winner and loser in decision making.
However, majority rule does not apply to all democratic elections. It does not apply in countries with a proportional representation (PR) voting system. In a country with a public relations system, district or parliamentary seats are allocated based on the percentage of the vote. For example, if four political parties compete for ten seats, the political party with 30 percent of the vote will win three of the ten available seats.
Legislative branches in countries with the public relations system can still use the principle of majority rule regarding the creation and passage of legislation, as well as amendments to the national constitution. In Austria, a parliamentary democracy with a public relations system, constitutional provisions require a two-thirds majority of votes cast.
While advocates of democracy may argue that majority rule will ultimately benefit the general public, others believe that the minority can effectively be marginalized. In her book Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote of her concerns about the corrupting influence of power, suggesting that a group is just as likely as an individual to abuse that power. Tocqueville’s concerns are identified as a concept also known as the “tyranny of the majority.”
In the United States, the Constitution provides several protections for minorities. These rights protect national, ethnic, religious and other minorities from the “tyranny of the majority”. Regardless of decisions determined by majority rule, they cannot violate the rights outlined in a nation’s respective code or constitution.
