US HISTORY

SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 Majority Rules ! How often did we say that when we were playing games as kids and we needed to

decide what game to play or what rules we would play the game with Even now as adults living in

a democracy , we still find ourselves beholden to the rule that whatever most of us wants is what we

all get . So what happens to those who did not want what was voted on by mostly everyone else ? Or

in the example of us as kids , what happened

to the 4 kids who wanted to play baseball when they

went against the 6 kids who wanted to play basketball ? To answer this we will take a closer look at

the concepts of majority rule with respect for minority rights , more specifically in the context of

democratic government

First , let us define majority rule . The simple definition of majority rule is : the rule or law that

requires more than half of a polity who cast a vote to agree in for the entire polity to make a

decision on the measure being

voted on . The process of voting generally implies the majority rule , in to determine the

preference or will of the majority . Minority rights are simply defined

as : embodying two separate concepts which are first normal individual rights as applied to

members of racial , ethnic , class , religious , or sexual minorities , and second , collective rights

accorded to minority groups . The relationship between these two ideas is commonly seen in a

positive light as most agree that the rights of the minority are respected vis a vis the decisions made

by the majority which are supposed to be for the benefit of all

A clear example of this is found within the U .S . Constitution . Article 5 states : The Congress

whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary shall propose amendments to this

Constitution , or , on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several states , shall call

Convention for proposing Amendments , which , in either case shall be valid to all Intents and

Purposes , as part of this Constitution , when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several

states , or by conventions in three fourths thereof . Here the authors of the constitution chose to

have legislation for constitutional amendments enacted upon by a two thirds majority of congress

and also an additional three fourths majority of each state legislature to become law . If in this area

they had allowed for a simple majority of say 51 to 49 , than the dissenting minority with such strong

support could simply refuse to go along with the enactment and prevent it from being successfully

exercised . By requiring a two thirds and three fourths majority , a diversity of opinion during the

debate is guaranteed and would thus ensure the amendment truly is seen as for the benefit of all . In

addition , because the minority is indeed small as compared to...