The Elasticity of Committee Decisions with an Altering Size of Majority

Abstract

Introductory notions. The procedure of a committee when it is reaching a decision may require a simple or a special majority. The larger the size of majority needed to arrive at a new decision on a topic, the smaller will be the likelihood of the committee reaching a decision that alters the existing state of affairs. If a club subscription is £1 and is fixed by the annual general meeting of the members, the chance of the subscription being raised or lowered will be less great if a two-thirds majority is needed to make the change, than if only a simple majority is needed; and if a unanimous decision is needed the chance of the subscription being altered becomes still less. Similarly, if a number of countries are in committee, in say, a United Nations Assembly, the greater the size of majority needed, the smaller will be the number of alterations made in the existing state of affairs, whatever that may be, and the smaller the number of new decisions taken.

The reader who is unacquainted with Economics should omit this chapter.