--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we reject, as we must, the doctrine…" description: "\"“If we reject, as we must, the doctrine that the majority is always right, to submit moral issues to the vote is to gamble that what we believe to be r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/peter-singer-1001_democracy_if-we-reject-as-we-must-the-doctrine-tha_3184770.jpg" --- # If we reject, as we must, the doctrine that the majority… ![“If we reject, as we must, the doctrine that the majority is always right, to submit moral issues to the vote is to gamble that what we believe to be right will come out of the ballot with more votes behind it than what we believe to be wrong; and that is a gamble we will often lose.” quote by Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/peter-singer-1001_democracy_if-we-reject-as-we-must-the-doctrine-tha_3184770.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/peter-singer-1001_democracy_if-we-reject-as-we-must-the-doctrine-tha_3184770.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b79/peter-singer-1001_democracy_if-we-reject-as-we-must-the-doctrine-tha_3184770.jpg) > ““If we reject, as we must, the doctrine that the majority is always right, to submit moral issues to the vote is to gamble that what we believe to be right will come out of the ballot with more votes behind it than what we believe to be wrong; and that is a gamble we will often lose.”” [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Democracy can misjudge morality; majority vote isn’t a reliable moral compass. **In simple terms:** Majority ≠ moral truth. Key Takeaway Question democratic assumptions. Themes ethics politics democracy Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - voting - public debates - activism Key Concepts moral philosophy social choice theory Questions to Reflect On - How to improve moral decision‑making in elections? - What safeguards ensure minority rights? A Different Perspective Majorities can protect rights when informed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Doctrine Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine-majority-5850288/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Majority Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority-right-672031/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Vote Gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote-gamble-5850285/) [Votes Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/votes-believe-5850286/) [Wrong Gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-gamble-5850287/) ## Related quotes > [You don't just go with a majority because it's the majority. You go with it because it's right. If it feels right, do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-elliott/you-don-t-just-go-with-a-majority-because-it-s-the-majority-you-go/) [Joe Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-elliott/) > [Just because there is strength in numbers doesn't mean that the majority is always right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-there-is-strength-in-numbers-doesn-t-mean-that-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The majority never has right on its side. Never I say! That is one of the social lies that a free, thinking man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-never-has-right-on-its-side-never-i-say-that-is-one-of/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [The majority never has right on its side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-never-has-right-on-its-side/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [I am in revolt against the age-old lie that the majority is always right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/i-am-in-revolt-against-the-age-old-lie-that-the-majority-is-always/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [If our fathers, in 1776, had acknowledged the principle that a majority had the right to rule the minority, we should never have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/if-our-fathers-in-1776-had-acknowledged-the-principle-that-a-majority/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [The principle that the majority have a right to rule the minority, practically resolves all government into a mere contest between two bodies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-principle-that-the-majority-have-a-right-to-rule-the-minority/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/individual-rights-are-not-subject-to-a-public-vote-a-majority-has-no/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“There can be no assumption that today's majority is 'right' and the Amish and others like them are 'wrong.' A way of life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-e-burger/there-can-be-no-assumption-that-today-s-majority-is-right-and-the/) [Warren E. Burger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-e-burger/) > [The majority never has right on its side. Never, I say! That is one of these social lies against which an independent, intelligent men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-never-has-right-on-its-side-never-i-say-that-is-one-of-2/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Was the majority right when they stood by while Jesus was crucified? Was the majority right when they refused to believe that the earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/was-the-majority-right-when-they-stood-by-while-jesus-was-crucified/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is reproached with saying that the majority is always right. But progress says that the minority is always right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/democracy-is-reproached-with-saying-that-the-majority-is-always-right/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At first view it might seem not to square with the republican theory, to suppose either that a majority have not the right, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/at-first-view-it-might-seem-not-to-square-with-the-republican-theory/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [“The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies-2/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [The whole of the Bill is a declaration of the right of the people at large or considered as individuals... It establishes some rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-gallatin/the-whole-of-the-bill-is-a-declaration-of-the-right-of-the-people-at/) [Albert Gallatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-gallatin/) ## More by Peter Singer > [I have never really been fond of animals. I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Knowledge is generally considered a good thing; so, presumably, knowing more about how the U.S. thinks and operates around the world is also good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/knowledge-is-generally-considered-a-good-thing-so-presumably-knowing/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [The price we are willing to pay for safety cannot be infinite. 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