Tyranny of the majority
Over the last few days, like many South Africans, I have been considering the momentous events which are about to unfold in Polokwane as we watch the finish of the race for the ANC presidency. For some reason the phrase "tryanny of the majority" popped into my head and I did some googling around the source - variously attributed to John Stuart Mill or Alexis de Tocqueville. (see Wikipedia)
Anyway I came across an online copy of Mill's On Liberty. I think its worth a read so see this extract:
"The will of the people, moreover, practically means the will of the most numerous or the most active part of the people; the majority, or those who succeed in making themselves accepted as the majority; the people, consequently, may desire to oppress a part of their number; and precautions are as much needed against this as against any other abuse of power. The limitation, therefore, of the power of government over individuals loses none of its importance when the holders of power are regularly accountable to the community, that is, to the strongest party therein. This view of things, recommending itself equally to the intelligence of thinkers and to the inclination of those important classes in European society to whose real or supposed interests democracy is adverse, has had no difficulty in establishing itself; and in political speculations "the tyranny of the majority" is now generally included among the evils against which society requires to be on its guard."
I. Introductory. Mill, John Stuart. 1869. On Liberty
Think that this was first written more than 130 years ago and would seem to be as relevant today as it ever was.
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Tags: Zuma, Mbeki, Polokwane, ANC, presidency
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