Why Majority Rule Cannot Work,Whether Applied To N.Ireland Or To The Island Of Ireland

(1)To try to answer the question "Why should the principle of "Majority Rule" not be applied in N.Ireland or in the Island of Ireland consider the following :-

- it SHOULD be obvious that political ideas like "Majority Rule" are like scientific ideas in that they are not set in stone, that they sometimes do not work and that they need to evolve and perhaps (in some cases ) even be replaced altogether (as has happened on occasions with scientific ideas). The very age of this principle alone should make it suspect;

-when the success of attempts to implement this principle in N.Ireland or Ireland as a whole are examined it is fairly clear that the principle does not work in practice and that an alternative should be sought;

- Unionist history , particularly in regard to the way in which they made a mockery of this principle in the past when they were in the minority and the way in which they abused this principle when the N.Ireland state was set up does not give them any right to insist that only the wishes of the present majority should determine N.Ireland's constitutional future.


(2)If the principle of "Majority Rule"is to be abandoned, the question naturally arises - What should replace it with regard to important constitutional matters which sharply divide the two communities?


The principle of "MAJORITY RULE "should be replaced by the principle of"NEEDING THE CONSENT/AGREEMENT OF THE MAJORITY IN BOTH COMMUNITIES".

- All parties and both Governments should work towards a situation where they publically accept that any settlement must have the agreement of both communities;

- In particular, Republicans should accept that , while they continue to work for a United Ireland , that such a political situation should not come about about until it would be acceptable to both communities;

- Likewise , Unionists should accept that while they continue to work for the total integration of N.Ireland into the United Kingdom , that this union should not come about until it would be acceptable to both communities.

-Both Governments should accept that neither should exert sole governing power over N.Ireland unless this becomes acceptable to both communities.


(3)The implication of such a fundamental shift in principle would be:-

a) that Partition , which left N.Ireland as a state representing only the Unionist tradition was not a solution ;

b) a United Ireland which would have represented only the Nationalist tradition would not have been a solution either;

c)that the failure of both these options should be recognised and all parties should go back to the table to re-negotiate a new settlement acceptable to both traditions.


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