What is Majoritarianism?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 9th, 2023
Majoritarianism means that the desires and needs of minorities are ignored by the majority in a country. Furthermore, the majority community’s wishes govern the country. As a result, it is detrimental to national unity because minorities may feel as if they lack a voice. Majoritarian democracies include, for example, Australia and Canada.
Table of content
Meaning and Definition of Majoritarianism
A traditional political philosophy or agenda known as majoritarianism holds that the majority of the population is entitled to a certain amount of primacy in society and has the power to decide on issues that have an impact on society. Instead of using proportional electoral systems to choose representatives, we use a plurality voting system.
- History is proof that majoritarianism is extremely harmful to a nation.
- For instance, in Sri Lanka, majoritarianism resulted in civil war due to the majority of the Sinhala community against the Sri Lankan Tamils.
- The Sinhala community had disregarded the political equality and economic well-being of the Sri Lankan Tamils.
- This led to a bloody and prolonged civil war that harmed the entire country.
Summary:
What is Majoritarianism?
A state where the majority of communities disregard the wishes and well-being of minorities is known as majoritarianism. Hence, the minority communities can feel disregarded in their own nation which can lead to civil wars and uproar.
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