Majority tyranny example. [citation needed] Can anyone find any actual examples of states becoming Tyrannies of the Majority? Basically, can you come up with any examples of states in which the majority utilized democracy in order to wrongfully suppress smaller groups within the country itself? Sep 7, 2022 · In the Federalist Papers, Madison discussed how an overbearing majority faction could take control of the government. Majority rule can lead to a situation where the preferences of the majority overpower the rights of minority groups. Tyranny of the majority refers to a situation in majority rule where the preferences and interests of the majority dominate the political landscape, potentially sidelining or repressing minority groups and using majority rule to take non-democratic actions. In Europe, influential thinkers like French political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville and British philosopher John Stuart Mill also promoted the dangers of a tyranny of the majority. ” Very quickly, politicians among the Whigs and Democrats learned to master the magic of the many by presenting candidates and policies that catered to the will of the majority. Example: Imagine a scenario where a majority of voters support a policy that goes against scientific evidence, such as denying climate change. 2. Nov 21, 2023 · Learn what is tyranny of the majority? Learn the definition of tyranny and see examples of tyranny of the majority. Also, see examples of tyranny See full list on historyhit. May 26, 2024 · It refers to a situation in which the majority of an electorate pursues exclusively its own objectives at the expense of those of the minority factions. com Aug 16, 2025 · Under the tyranny of the majority, minority rights and interests can be undermined or violated. This has long been a talking point in terms of the application of majority rule as practiced by modern democracies, in which the The majority exercised a new type of power that went well beyond politics, leading Alexis de Tocqueville to write about the “tyranny of the majority. The majority’s preferences can lead to policies or laws that disadvantage, marginalize, or even persecute minority groups. A polite description of mob rule at the expense of individual rights, particularly in matters of conscience or religion. [1] This idea has been discussed by various thinkers, including John Stuart Mill in On Liberty [2] and Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy . ” Tyranny of the Majority ExampleThis expression has two meanings: 1. This results in the oppression of minority groups and the erosion of their rights and liberties. The use of a majority vote to overrule or disenfranchise dissenters. Jun 17, 2025 · The meaning of TYRANNY OF THE MAJORITY is a situation in which a group of people are treated unfairly because their situation is different from the situation of most of the people in a democratic country. With the help of these examples, students will be able to better understand the case Tocqueville is making. In social choice, a tyranny-of-the-majority scenario can be formally defined as a situation where the candidate or decision preferred by a majority is greatly inferior (hence "tyranny") to the socially optimal candidate or decision according to some measure of excellence such as total utilitarianism or the egalitarian rule. To overcome the tyranny of this majority, public consultations involving scientists and experts can be held to present the facts. Tocqueville (in a footnote) gives two striking and even shocking examples of majority tyranny at work: the murder of antiwar journalists by a Baltimore mob, and the intimidation of free blacks on Election Day in Philadelphia. This scenario is often referred to as “tyranny of the majority. lgw k3fy ymfwa twnf k4rg phqb 5cjkv8 ak d6s a0sk