majority
Let an agent handle majorities by kind, threshold, context and rules, neutrally, including protection of minorities.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent handle majorities by kind, threshold, context and rules, neutrally, including protection of minorities.
The greater part of a group, especially more than half of votes, members or population; kinds include simple majority, absolute majority and qualified majority, distinct from a plurality; also ethnic or demographic majority.
What it is for: Deciding votes and describing group composition.
It can be compute whether a majority is reached; distinguish majority types; apply voting rules; describe demographic majorities carefully.
Distinguishing features
More than half (or other threshold)
Rules define the base
Distinct from plurality
Minority rights still apply
What it looks like
Not physical; counts and shares.
How it is recognised
Simple, absolute and qualified majorities
Plurality (most votes, not necessarily over half)
Age of majority is another sense
Related models
is a kind of - category
is used in - decision rules
is contrasted with - concepts
is governed by - rules
In practice
Families and kinds
simple majority
absolute majority
qualified or supermajority
plurality (related)
demographic majority
Standards and regulation
Constitutions and standing orders
Electoral law
Minority rights protections
Failure modes and hazards
Confusing majority types
Using the wrong base (votes cast versus members)
Framing majorities against minorities
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.majority
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Type Which majority.
Types differ.
Kind
Simple, absolute.
Kind
Majority type.
- Which kind of majority is required? provenance
- What is the base: votes cast, members present or all members? definition
Threshold
Number needed.
Threshold
Threshold.
- How many votes are needed? measurement
- Was it reached? measurement
Rules Procedure.
Rules decide outcomes.
Source
Constitution or rules.
Source
Rule source.
- Which rule sets the majority requirement? provenance
- Are abstentions counted? definition
Plurality
Distinction.
Plurality
Plurality.
- Is a plurality enough, or is a majority required? definition
- Is there a runoff? definition
Demography Population majorities.
Care is needed.
Data
Census.
Data
Demographic data.
- Which group forms the majority, according to which census? provenance
- How are groups defined? definition
Rights
Minorities.
Rights
Minority rights.
- Which protections exist for minorities? provenance
- Is framing neutral? boundary
Senses Disambiguation.
Majority has other senses.
Age of majority
Legal adulthood.
Age
Age of majority.
- Is the age of legal adulthood meant? boundary
- What age applies here? provenance
Sport
Power play.
Sport
Sports sense.
- Is a numerical advantage in sport meant? boundary
- Which entry fits? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should majority types be separate entries?
- How should voting rules be linked?
- How should age of majority be split off?