DEMOCRACY AND THE CLOSURE
(To the Editor.) Sir,—Some of the Socialist Labour members of Parliament, in protesting against the adoption of the closure, claimed that it was inconsistent" with democratic principles of government. But surely the democratic principle requires that the majority shall rule. True, the minorityhas the right to present its case, to put forward all the arguments against any proposed measure before it is adopted. Yet nobody can claim that this justifies what is known in Parliament as a "stonewall.*" A stonewall is not an argument; it is mere obstruction.- The purpose of a stonewall is not to convert thoste who support the measure: it is simply to prevent the measure being put to the vote. In other words, it is a deliberate and organised attempt by the minority to prevent a vote being taken, so that the minority, instead of the majority, shall have its way.—l am, etc., DEMOCRAT.
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Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 78, 2 April 1931, Page 8
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152DEMOCRACY AND THE CLOSURE Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 78, 2 April 1931, Page 8
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