Switzerland About To Vote On Minaret Ban

[miotas]

Besides it doesn't make much sense to enshrine mere building regulations in a nation's constitution. (and I think it's weird that their constitution can be changed by a simple majority, especially with such a low turnout)

I agree that including building regulations in the constitution is overkill, and I also that a simple majority to change the constitution would be stupid, however the Swiss require a double majority, which is quite sensible.

Demos-Kratos "Rule by the People". It has nothing to do with minority rights at all, that is, along with "speration of powers" a product of French Enlightenment thinking. It isn't necessarily right.

You are quite correct "rule by the people" is the heart of democracy, but tyranny of the majority and suppression of the minority are not. The minority are people too, no? That is where the double majority comes in, if a majority of the population had voted yes, but a majority of the cantons(with a minority of the population) had voted no, then the referendum would not have been passed.

In Australia, there have been referendums that would have been passed had a simple majority been required, but a majority of states decided that the change would be a violation of their rights so they stopped it. Minority rights and rule by the people go hand in hand.

[Viking]

The minority are people too, no?

Not if the democratic majority decides they are not, in which case you can colonize them or restrict their liberties.

[Furunculus]

there's that fear again.

speaking only as a Brit; i don't fear the tyranny of the majority in my country, and thus have no objections to representative mechanisms subject to a high degree of democratic capability.

[Viking]

there's that fear again.

speaking only as a Brit; i don't fear the tyranny of the majority in my country, and thus have no objections to representative mechanisms subject to a high degree of democratic capability.

It's more than a fear, it is how it works. This was the reality back in the (later) colonization days where it was democratic countries, not dictatorships, that colonized and exploited. It is never crystal clear who is included in the 'us', and who is worthy of being called a 'minority' as in someone to grant rights to. You might not fear the democratic process, but that doesn't mean these things do not happen.

[Furunculus]

It's more than a fear, it is how it works. This was the reality back in the (later) colonization days where it was democratic countries, not dictatorships, that colonized and exploited. It is never crystal clear who is included in the 'us', and who is worthy of being called a 'minority' as in someone to grant rights to. You might not fear the democratic process, but that doesn't mean these things do not happen.

i'm not saying no-one should not fear un-bridled democracy, far from it, i speak only as a brit and about britain when i say i do not fear the people.