简单多数决的正当性及其条件——基于与超多数决的比较

The Legitimacy of Simple Majority Rule and its Conditions:Based on a Comparison with Supermajority Rule

“决策者半数以上说了算”的简单多数决与“总人数2/3、3/4以上才能说了算”的超多数决是最为常用的两种“多数决”。想要合理地使用这两种决策规则,需要对它们的正当性进行比较。简单多数决具有的“中立性”特征在一定条件下可以实现“平等对待”的价值。超多数决具有的“非中立性”特征,则有可能实现“保护少数”“维持制度稳定性”的价值。但超多数决实现“保护少数”价值所需要的条件极难满足,实现“维持制度稳定性”价值所需要的条件则相对容易满足,因而这种决策规则的正当性只可能基于后者而被证成。当简单多数决与超多数决实现相应价值的条件都能够得到满足时,对两种决策规则的合理选择才需要对不同价值进行权衡。由于简单多数决“固定的多数值”在一定的条件下也能得到“平等对待”价值的证成,而某种特定的超多数决中具有任意性的“多数”值无法得到合理证成,从而面临着“可能强化系统性不正义”的风险。当无法确定简单多数决与作为一类决策规则的超多数决哪个更为正当时,简单多数决仍比某种特定的超多数决更具有正当性。多数决的“多数”值并非越高就越具有正当性。

The Simple Majority Rule that“more than half of the decision makers can make a decision”and the Supermajority Rule that“more than 2/3,3/4 and so on of the total number of people can make a de⁃cision”are the two most commonly used“majority rules”.To use these two decision rules reasonably,it is necessary to compare their legitimacy.The“neutrality”characteristic of a Simple Majority Rule can achieve the value of“equal treatment”under certain conditions.The“non-neutrality”characteristic of the Superma⁃jority Rule may realize the value of“protecting the minority”and“maintaining institutional stability”.Howev⁃er,the conditions required for achieving the value of“protecting the minority”by the Supermajority Rule are extremely difficult to meet,and the conditions for achieving the value of“maintaining institutional stability”are relatively easy to meet.Therefore,this decision-making rule can only be proved based on the latter value.When the conditions for achieving corresponding values in both Simple Majority and Supermajority Rules can be met,a reasonable choice of the two decision rules requires a“balance”of different values.Due to the fact that a“fixed majority value”in a Simple Majority Rule can also be proven to have the value of“equal treat⁃ment”under certain conditions,while an arbitrary“majority”value in a specific Supermajority Rule cannot be reasonably proven,thus it faces the risk of“potentially reinforcing systemic injustice”.When it is not possible to determine whether a Simple Majority Rule or Supermajority Rule as a type of decision rule has more legiti⁃macy,a Simple Majority Rule is more legitimate than a specific Supermajority Rule.It′s wrong to think that the higher the“majority”value of a Majority Rule is,the more legitimate it is.