Minority Rights and Democracy
Author: Kuo-Hsien Hsu
Abstract / Chinese PDF Download
Majoritarianism or majority rule is one of the core elements of modern democracy. Without it, democratic mechanism will simply come to a halt; but, with it as the final verdict, the status and interest of minorities will always be endangered in different ways and degrees. This binary relation between majority and minority is the very fact of democratic process. This article examines the emergence and general condition of minorities in modern democratic societies, and then scrutinizes the right-claims of minorities, especially those who become minorities because of ethnic and cultural reasons. This author argues that the granting of minority rights signifies equal recognition of differences and will consequently improve the condition of justice as well as the mode of interaction in a multicultural society.