Consensus Decision-Making
Consensus decision-making is what
many feel to be the most egalitarian way of voting. The
often-used "majority rules" method is divisive, typically ending
with a large minority upset at the results. In consensus
decision-making, however, participants must come to an agreement.
Key to this process is discussion geared toward
convincing others of your view. This is not like a debate, where
one
side "wins." Instead, it is an analysis of all points, an
opportunity
for mutually-agreeable compromise, to reach a conclusion that is
satisfactory to all. It is sometimes a difficult process,
but in the long run, one that ends up leaving fewer people
displeased than other decision-making processes.
In a way, consensus decision-making is the heart of the Pariah
Project. Ultimately, it is what makes us an egalitarian team.
Therefore, Project members are required to learn about this
process. A very good introduction to it (and sufficient for our
purposes) can be found on Wikipedia, here. For something more in-depth, please see On Conflict and Consensus, by C.T. Butler and Amy Rothstein. A free internet version is hosted on the Intentional Communities site, here.