Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The second-best solution: an apology for democracy.

David W Chambers

    The Journal of the American College of Dentists
    |September 7, 2004
    PubMed
    Summary

    Group decision-making is best achieved through consensus or rational rules, but democracy offers the most practical general solution despite its flaws. This study reviews democracy

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Systematic inconsistency in human and machine scoring of indices of malocclusion: the "Lazy-S Curve".

    The Angle orthodontist·2026
    Same author

    Shared Decision Making or Sharing Information?

    Journal of evaluation in clinical practice·2026
    Same author

    Building bridges from research outcomes to clinical practice decisions.

    The Angle orthodontist·2024
    Same author

    Bridging from research evidence to treatment decisions: The case of treatment based on predicted mandibular growth.

    American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics : official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics·2024
    Same author

    Shared decision-making in scaling and root planing.

    European journal of dental education : official journal of the Association for Dental Education in Europe·2023
    Same author

    Making the American Dental Association Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct stronger and more positive.

    Journal of the American Dental Association (1939)·2023

    Area of Science:

    • Social Sciences
    • Political Science
    • Decision Theory

    Background:

    • Effective group decision-making is crucial for societal functioning.
    • Traditional methods like consensus and rational rules have limitations in general applicability.
    • Authoritarianism and chaos represent ineffective alternatives.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate various group decision-making strategies.
    • To identify the most practical and generalizable method for group decisions.
    • To critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of democracy as a decision-making model.

    Main Methods:

    • Review of existing decision-making frameworks.
    • Analysis of the limitations of consensus and rational rule-based systems.
    • Examination of the inherent flaws within democratic processes.

    Main Results:

    • Consensus and rational rules are effective only in specific contexts.
    • Authoritarian rule and chaos lead to poor group outcomes.
    • Democracy, defined as one person, one vote, is the most viable general approach.

    Conclusions:

    • Despite acknowledged flaws, democracy is the superior practical method for group decision-making.
    • The inherent challenges of democracy do not outweigh its benefits compared to alternatives.
    • Further consideration of democratic improvements is warranted.

    Related Experiment Videos