-------- Original message --------
   From: Edward Low <edwardlow@riseup.net>
   Date: 12/7/17 5:03 PM (GMT-08:00)
   To: cypherpunks@lists.cpunks.org
   Subject: What is consensus?

   There is a question I would like to send to the list and get some
   feedback.
   As far as I was told, consensus is a way to reach a decision without
   the
   need of voting, so there is no majority nor minority, no one can impose
   their ways even if they are majority so no lobby and no forcing.
   Clearly, education is needed for that, so everyone understands the need
   of giving up a little bit in order to make it work for the common
   project.
   Lately I've been seeing consensus described as voting system, with
   majorities and minorities. My english is short, so maybe there is a
   word
   to describe consensus as a no-voting system to reach a common solution?
   Thanks
   E. Low
   --
   Edward Low
   edwardlow@riseup.net
   Libertalia (Madagascar)

   Consensus implies everyone agrees. Using OccupyWallStreet as example of
   how it fails when there isn't some sort of at least general agreement,
   the the BLOCK in the consensus system they used was based on Spanish
   anarchist unions who were in general avreement on a goal, and a block
   STOPPED the process until whatever issue the blockung party brought up
   was resolved.

   At Occupy there were so many political interests represented that the
   BLOCK, it was felt, was being used to disrupt, and it was modified to
   basically mean you were voting yourself out of the process unless you
   withdrew the block...

   Which turned the process into mob democracy where the largest faction
   won in spite of problems perceived by people blocking, and OFC, the
   largest factions were typically scumbag prog-libs.

   Rr