Gaussian Consensus Revisited

[New Democracy]

Dear List members,

     I would like to revisit this question of a Gaussian curve on a line.
People seem to have this bad habit of putting the two largest blocs of
voters at the two ends of a line and then putting every other political
leaning inside and then claiming that the candidate that they have placed
at the center is the consensus of the people - this is not valid.

                         A           B           C
    Left -------------------------------------------------------- Right

     Instead of trying to place people and political theory along a one
demensional line, I would suggest that we start thinking in two demensions
- like the area of a circle. We will have more of a selection as to where
to place people and theories - more freedom. Each of us is free to make
placements anywhere on the plane. The cental peak can end up anywhere - the
center of the circle is not to be regarded as having any meaning - it is
not the ideal.

     When you construct your circle be sure to include enough theories so
that everyone will have someplace to stand - everyone needs to be somewhere
. The following is the plane that I have constructed:

                               Sensible
                              +         +
                          +                 +
                       +                       +
                     +                           +
                    +                             +
                   +                               +
                      13B---------------45A
                 Left    \             /         Right
                          \           /
                   +       \      o  /             +
                    +       \       /             +
                     +       \     /             +
                       +      \   /            +
                          +    42C          +
                              +         +
                                Liberal

     I have placed an example by Mike Saari on the plane according to my
choice - but that is not important - the point I want to make is that the
central peak of these three candidates is now somewhere inside the triangle
that the three form and not on top of one of them. It is not evident that
candidate B should win. The central peak is in the area between A and C.
One of those two should be the winner. Two demensions are better than one
when we want to present a political comparison. A Gaussian curve as a
political comparison is limited in depth.

Don,

Donald Eric Davison of New Democracy at http://www.mich.com/~donald

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