/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 47 Playwright Tom Stoppard wrote, "... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

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Playwright Tom Stoppard wrote, "It's not the voting that's democracy; it's the counting." Explain what he meant by this.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Tom Stoppard's quote emphasizes that democracy is not simply about people having the ability to vote, but instead the crux of a functioning democracy is the fair and accurate counting of these votes, reflecting the true preferences of the populace.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Voting and Counting

The first step is to understand what voting and counting signify in a democracy. Voting is the act of casting one's preference for a candidate or proposal, wherein each individual gets an equal vote. Counting, on the other hand, pertains to the fair and accurate tally of these votes, ensuring that every vote is accounted for and reported correctly.
02

Analyze the Quote

While Stoppard acknowledged the importance of voting, he emphasizes that the essence of democracy lies more in the counting. This could mean that democracy is not only about the opportunity to cast a vote but that each of these votes is treated with equal importance and is counted correctly, ensuring a fair reflection of the citizens’ will.
03

Conclude the Analysis

In summary, the quote emphasizes the importance of the integrity of the voting process itself. It suggests that while the act of voting is significant, it is the fair, transparent, and accurate counting of these votes, representing the voices of the people, that truly represents democracy.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Students at your college are given the option of choosing a topic for which a speaker will be selected. Students are asked to rank three topics: Technology (T), Environmental Issues (E), and Terrorism in the Name of Religion (R). The results of the election are shown in the following preference table. $$ \begin{array}{|l|c|c|c|c|} \hline \text { Number of Votes } & \mathbf{7 0} & \mathbf{3 0} & \mathbf{1 0} & \mathbf{5} \\ \hline \text { First Choice } & \mathrm{R} & \mathrm{T} & \mathrm{T} & \mathrm{E} \\ \hline \text { Second Choice } & \mathrm{E} & \mathrm{R} & \mathrm{E} & \mathrm{T} \\ \hline \text { Third Choice } & \mathrm{T} & \mathrm{E} & \mathrm{R} & \mathrm{R} \\ \hline \end{array} $$ a. How many students voted? b. How many students selected the topics in this order: \(\mathrm{T}, \mathrm{E}, \mathrm{R}\) ? c. How many students selected technology as their first choice for a speaker's topic? d. How many students selected environmental issues as their second choice for a speaker's topic?

Members of the Student Activity Committee at a college are considering three actors to speak at a campus festival on women in the arts: Whoopi Goldberg (G), Julia Roberts (R), and Meryl Streep (S). Committee members vote for their preferred speaker. The winner is to be selected by the pairwise comparison method. The preference table for the election is shown. $$ \begin{array}{|l|c|c|c|} \hline \text { Number of Votes } & 12 & 8 & 6 \\ \hline \text { First Choice } & \text { S } & \text { R } & \text { G } \\ \hline \text { Second Choice } & \text { G } & \text { G } & \text { R } \\ \hline \text { Third Choice } & \text { R } & \text { S } & \text { S } \\ \hline \end{array} $$ a. Using the pairwise comparison method, who is selected as the speaker? b. Prior to the announcement of the speaker, Meryl Streep informs the committee that she will not be able to participate due to other commitments. Construct a new preference table for the election with \(S\) eliminated. Using the new table and the pairwise comparison method, who is selected as the speaker? c. Is the irrelevant alternatives criterion satisfied? Explain your answer.

The winner by the plurality method violates the head-tohead criterion.

Three candidates, A, B, and \(\mathrm{C}\), are running for mayor. Election rules stipulate that the pairwise comparison method will determine the winner. In the event that the pairwise comparison method leads to a tie, the Borda count method will decide the winner. The election results are summarized in the following preference table. Under these rules, which candidate becomes the new mayor? $$ \begin{array}{|l|c|c|c|c|c|} \hline \text { Number of Votes } & \mathbf{6 0 , 0 0 0} & \mathbf{4 0 , 0 0 0} & \mathbf{4 0 , 0 0 0} & \mathbf{2 0 , 0 0 0} & \mathbf{2 0 , 0 0 0} \\ \hline \text { First Choice } & \text { A } & \text { C } & \text { B } & \text { A } & \text { C } \\ \hline \text { Second Choice } & \text { B } & \text { A } & \text { C } & \text { C } & \text { B } \\ \hline \text { Third Choice } & \text { C } & \text { B } & \text { A } & \text { B } & \text { A } \\ \hline \end{array} $$

Describe the Borda count method. Is it possible to use this method without ranking the candidates? Explain.

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