If the majority do something, does it mean it is correct?

Question

Does a majority rule always mean the right answer?

If not, can you name examples of this?

Answer 1

The majority can be as far from the truth as one can get. As an example take a look at the Germans during the second world war, and what they did to the Jews.

Answer 2

No - it does not. A majority can be prejudice and lived sheltered lives and their actions as a whole does make their views right.

For example in the 50's in Australia there was the White Australian Policy - a majority thought it was a great policy but it was prejudive and racial but at the time people voted it in.

Women were not alloed to vote - and in some states all over the world women did not get the vote up to the 19th century and the majority ( men) felt this was ok.

It was not a crime to kill a Chinaman in america, New Zealand in the gold mining days and the majority (white men) thought it was ok .

The majority rules decision does make an issue right.

Answer 3

Majority rule does not mean that the majority is correct. Example -- the majority of people were for the war in Iraq. Now most people realize that they were wrong in being for the war. The majority of Germans supported Hitler and went along with his policies or looked the other way. They were morally wrong to do that, most people would say. There is a good quote of Abe Lincoln's that I like to use: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time." So when our leaders lie to us and we make our decisions based on those lies or follow him blindly, all of us are being fooled, and that is when the majority is wrong. Eventually most of us wake up, since you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

Answer 4

No, the majority rule is not always Right to all people. But if the majority rules, then that decision goes into effect.

Answer 5

The majority isn't always right.

Example: If the majority of people suddenly developed the belief that they could fly, and jumped off a cliff en masse, the majority would fall to their deaths.

Answer 6

All can be deluded....
All can believe a lie...
Like "homeland security"
"Do the actions of the few dictate to the many?"
Terrorists did something stupid right?
Now do we all have to suffer for it?
And really WHO are the government people...?
Its the same thing as your question..
They watch us but who's watching them?
Not a good situation...
Therefore the majority can and will be wrong since social interactions are the same as "monkey see monkey do"
You must think on your own or you will follow the pied piper off the cliff with the rest of the rats...

Answer 7

I would say no! Very often, people are too afraid to speak out for fear of being alienated or losing their job or worse. If you've seen the film, North Country, starring Charlize Theron, where she works in a steel mine in a male dominated environment, she is sexually assaulted and bullied but when she takes it to court, everyone alienates her, even the other few women, some of whom have experienced the same. Unemployment is high and everyone finds it easier to keep their heads down and say nothing. Actually, justice is made at the end after a long struggle. We are a society of sheep!

Answer 8

No and I can think of many examples!

The majority of people thought the earth was flat but a few scientific men proved it wasn't.
The majority of people thought they would die if they drove a car over 30mph. Someone drove faster to prove he wouldn't.
The majority of Germans thought Hitler right and gave him power!
The majority voted Blair back in!! As a member of the minority my response is WHY?
OK is that too many?

Answer 9

Yes, I can give you an example of a bad majority decision, in fact I can give you two; 1) The flood, out of the millions only 8 survive. 2) Lemmings, all most all of them throw themselves off of a cliff about every 11 years.

Answer 10

It certainly is not true in spiritual matters. Right from the beginning the minority have always been right. Take Israel for example, God said in Deuteronomy 7:6 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 "The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but because the LORD loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers."
In the NT Jesus said, that many would walk the road that leads to destruction, but very few would find he road to life.