The obvious answer is that, for the most part, we abide by the principle of majority rule. From the time we are old enough to count, we are taught that the bigger number beats the smaller number. It’s decisive even in institutions whose purpose is to serve as a buffer against the majority. “Take the Supreme Court,” said Akhil Amar, a constitutional scholar at Yale Law School. “No one thinks that when it’s 5 to 4, the four win and the five lose.

Source: International New York Times December 13, 2020 20:03 UTC