Democratic Decision-making: Consensus Voting for Civic Society and Parliaments

by Peter Emerson

Overview

This book provides a practical guide to how groups of people, everywhere, from the local village council to the United Nations Security Council, can best make collective decisions. By comparing the many voting procedures used in democratic decision-making, it explains why win-or-lose binary voting can be inaccurate and divisive, while the more inclusive preferential points system of voting can be so much more accurate and, therefore, more democratic; indeed, it is a win-win methodology. The text, essential reading for anyone interested in fair and participatory collective decision-making, also compares the most common electoral systems.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030528072
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	09/23/2020
Series:	SpringerBriefs in Political Science
Edition description:	1st ed. 2021
Pages:	99
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Peter Emerson is the director of the Belfast-based international NGO "The de Borda Institute" (Ireland). He has campaigned for inclusive governance since 1978. His publications include From Majority Rule to Inclusive Politics (Springer, 2016), Defining Democracy: Voting Procedures in Decision-Making, Elections and Governance (2nd ed. in 2012, Springer) and Designing an All-Inclusive Democracy: Consensual Voting Procedures for Use in Parliaments, Councils and Committees (Springer, 2007).

Table of Contents

The Problem.- Decision-making.- The A-B-C-D of Voting.- Consensus Voting.- The Consequences of Consequences.- Comparing Decision-making Voting Procedures.- Comparing Electoral Systems.

Editorial Reviews

For those practitioners who are already convinced of consensus decision-making’s merits, and therefore less in need of a theoretical discussion than a ‘how-to’ guide, this book will be a welcome contribution. Broader audiences may enjoy it too: there should always be a space for big ideas in research, and Democratic Decision-making is certainly that. Emerson deserves credit for championing his sincerely-held belief in consensus politics despite continued indifference from much of the ‘formal’ political world.” (Luke Field,Irish Political Studies, March 28, 2021)

From the Publisher