Posted 4 years ago on Feb. 4, 2012, 6:11 a.m. EST by bensdad
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Howard Ryan argues that consensus is wrong in principle and in practice: "The problem is not so much that individuals are being irresponsible or somehow abusing the consensus process. The problem lies in giving individuals that kind of power in the first place.
Consensus turns majority rule into minority rule.
That's not democracy."
Ryan continues, "voting and consensus can both involve forms of coercion, i.e. forcing one party to accept the decision of another.
The difference is that with voting the will of the majority holds sway, while under consensus an individual or minority wields the power through exercise of the block or veto.
Consensus proponents have ignored how preventing people from doing as they wish can be no less coercive than forcing them to do as they do not wish."
FULL ARTICLE> http://libcom.org/files/consensus.pdf