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Democratic Decision-making

Consensus Voting for Civic Society and Parliaments

  • Book
  • © 2021

Overview

Authors:
  1. Peter Emerson

    1. The de Borda Institute, Belfast, UK

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  • Provides a practical guide to democratic decision-making
  • Compares voting procedures used in collective decision-making
  • Highlights the advantages of a preferential points system of voting

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Political Science (BRIEFSPOLITICAL)

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxix
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  2. The Problem

    • Peter Emerson
    Pages 1-8

  3. Decision-Making

    • Peter Emerson
    Pages 9-16

  4. The A-B-C-D of Voting

    • Peter Emerson
    Pages 17-32

  5. Consensus Voting

    • Peter Emerson
    Pages 33-40

  6. The Consequences of Consequences

    • Peter Emerson
    Pages 41-51

  7. Comparing Decision-Making Voting Procedures

    • Peter Emerson
    Pages 53-61

  8. Comparing Electoral Systems

    • Peter Emerson
    Pages 63-75

  9. Back Matter

    Pages 77-99
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Keywords

About this book

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.

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)

Authors and Affiliations

  • The de Borda Institute, Belfast, UK

    Peter Emerson

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). 

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