{{short description|Form of government}} {{Democracy}} '''Consensus democracy'''{{cite journal | url=https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414012463883 | doi=10.1177/0010414012463883 | title=The Calculus of Consensus Democracy | date=2013 | last1=McGann | first1=Anthony J. | last2=Latner | first2=Michael | journal=Comparative Political Studies | volume=46 | issue=7 | pages=823–850 | url-access=subscription }} is the application of [[consensus decision-making]] and [[supermajority]] to the process of legislation in a [[democracy]]. It is characterized by a decision-making structure that involves and takes into account as broad a range of opinions as possible, as opposed to [[majoritarian democracy]] systems where minority opinions can potentially be ignored by vote-winning majorities.{{cite journal | url=https://doi.org/10.1080/09512748.2022.2035426 | doi=10.1080/09512748.2022.2035426 | title=The shift to consensus democracy and limits of institutional design in Asia | date=2023 | last1=Kasuya | first1=Yuko | last2=Reilly | first2=Benjamin | journal=The Pacific Review | volume=36 | issue=4 | pages=844–870 | url-access=subscription }} [[Constitution]]s typically require consensus or supermajority.[https://heinonline.org/HOL/P?h=hein.journals/shclj8&i=371 King, Brett W. "The Use of Supermajority Provisions in the Constitution: The Framers, The Federalist Papers and the Reinforcement of a Fundamental Principle." Seton Hall Const. LJ 8 (1997): 363.] A consensus government is a [[national unity government]] with representation across the whole [[political spectrum]]. A [[concordance system|concordance democracy]] is a type of consensus democracy where majority rule does not play a central role. Optional referendums and [[popular initiatives]] correspond to consensus democracy.{{cite journal | url=https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007137026336 | doi=10.1023/A:1007137026336 | date=2000 | last1=Vatter | first1=Adrian | title=Consensus and direct democracy:Conceptual and empirical linkages | journal=European Journal of Political Research | volume=38 | issue=2 | pages=171–192 | url-access=subscription }} ==Examples== [[File:NorthWest Territories Legislature Plan 2014 19 Members.svg|thumb|right|The 2019 [[Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories]] is an example of consensus government: all [[Member of the Legislative Assembly|MLA]]s are non-partisan and together elect the [[Premier of the Northwest Territories|Premier]] and Cabinet.]] Consensus democracy is most closely embodied in certain countries such as [[Politics of Switzerland|Switzerland]], [[Politics of Germany|Germany]], [[Proporz|Austria]], [[Politics of Denmark|Denmark]], [[Politics of Lebanon|Lebanon]], [[Sweden]], [[Iraq]], and [[Belgium]], where consensus is an important feature of political culture, particularly with a view to preventing the domination of one linguistic or cultural group in the political process.{{Cite book |last=Lijphart |first=A. |title=Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms & Performance in Thirty-six Countries |date=1999 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=0-300-07893-5 |location=New Haven}} The term [[consociational state]] is used in political science to describe countries with such consensus based political systems. An example of such a system could be the Dutch [[Poldermodel]]. Many parties in Lebanon call for applying consensus democracy, especially at times of crisis. [[Tripartism]] applies consensus democracy to economic policy by fostering [[social dialogue]] between opposing interest groups, primarily [[National trade union center|national trade unions]] and [[Employers' organization|employers' organizations]]. Consensus government chiefly arises in [[non-partisan democracy|non-partisan democracies]] and similar systems in which a majority of politicians are [[independent (politics)|independent]]. Many former British territories with large [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous]] populations use consensus government to fuse traditional tribal leadership with the [[Westminster system]]. [[Consensus government in Canada]] is used in the [[Northwest Territories]] and [[Nunavut]], as well as the autonomous [[Nunatsiavut]] region, and similar systems have arisen in the Pacific [[island nation]]s of [[Politics of Fiji|Fiji]], [[Politics of Tuvalu|Tuvalu]] and [[Politics of Vanuatu|Vanuatu]], as well as the ancient [[Tynwald]] of the [[Isle of Man]].{{cite book|title=Cabinets and First Ministers|pages=58–63|author=Graham White|year=2011|publisher=UBC Press |isbn=978-0774842143}} ==Electoral systems== The [[Borda count]] tends to elect broadly-acceptable options or candidates (rather than consistently following the preferences of a majority).{{Cite book |url=http://www.opentextbookstore.com/mathinsociety/ |title=Math in Society |last=Lippman |first=David |chapter=Voting Theory |quote=Borda count is sometimes described as a consensus-based voting system, since it can sometimes choose a more broadly acceptable option over the one with majority support. |chapter-url=http://www.opentextbookstore.com/mathinsociety/current/VotingTheory.pdf}} ==See also== {{Div col}} * [[Anticipatory democracy]] * [[Bioregional democracy]] * [[Coalition government]] * [[Consensus decision-making]] * [[Consociationalism]] * [[Direct democracy]] * [[Grassroots democracy]] * [[Hung parliament]] * [[Jirga]] * [[List of politics-related topics]] * [[Minoritarianism]] * [[Median voter theorem]] * [[Open source governance]] * [[Types of democracy]] {{Div col end}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070403022843/http://www.cpn.org/tools/dictionary/consensus.html Consensus Democracy: A New Approach to 21st Century Governance] *[http://www.metagovernment.org Metagovernment] - Project using the [[wiki]] consensus model as a replacement for current governments. *[http://www.consensus.net/ On Conflict and Consensus] - A Handbook on Formal Consensus Decisionmaking. *[http://www.deborda.org Consensus voting, the Modified Borda Count (MBC)] {{Coalition Spectrum navbox}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Consensus Democracy}} [[Category:Comparative politics]] [[Category:Participatory democracy]] [[Category:Types of democracy]] [[Category:Power sharing]]