meaning of majority rule (was Re: N factorial combinations (was

[Steve Eppley]

Demorep wrote:
-snip-
>As Mr. Arrow informs us, choosing the *best* method involves
>various tradeoffs in the strategies regarding the various N1....
>Nmost values.  I will maintain that majority rule must be an
>absolute requirement in any method.

Different people define majority rule in different ways, and in many
cases don't really define the term at all.  

The GMC and NML criteria are two definitions which Condorcet
supports.  MPV and Coombs advocates might argue that those methods 
do support a narrow definition of majority rule, since they do pay
attention to majority in 1 of the N(N-1)/2 candidate pairings. 

---Steve     (Steve Eppley    seppley at alumni.caltech.edu)