[EM] Fair and Democratic versus Majority Rules

[Jobst Heitzig]

Dear Rob,

you wrote:
> here's a fundamental philosophical question: why is it better, even in a
> two-candidate race, to elect the majority winner?  

I think the question is ill-posed in at least two ways: First, you say
"better" but not better than what. Second, after you settled for an
alternative, you should not ask "why is it better?" but "is is better?".

My answer: The alternatives here are not only "elect the majority
candidate" or "elect the minority candidate" but also "elect both with
just probabilities reflecting their share of the vote". And the latter
is obviously the only democratic of the three since otherwise one part
of the electorate can easily oppress the rest.

Athenians knew why they filled offices by lot in their democracy...

Yours, Jobst