Guiding Questions

• Is justice determined by popular will?

• Can public opinion create — or destroy — justice?

• When does democracy protect rights, and when does it threaten them?

The Power of the People

In democratic societies, laws often reflect the will of the majority.

But history warns us: the majority is not always right.

Ask yourself:

• If 51% vote to silence 49%, is that democracy — or tyranny?

• If a nation elects an unjust leader, does that make their rule just?

• If public outrage convicts a person before trial, is justice served — or sacrificed?

Public opinion can demand justice — or crush it.

The Tyranny of the Majority

Alexis de Tocqueville once warned that democracy may not guarantee freedom — only the rule of numbers.

Mob justice is not justice.

Popularity is not truth.

Voting does not always protect the vulnerable.

Examples from history:

• Ancient Athens sentenced Socrates to death — by majority vote.

• U.S. segregation laws were upheld with popular support.

• Referendums have been used to deny rights to minorities.

Justice must be able to resist popular pressure — not simply reflect it.

Philosophical Perspectives

Plato

Distrusted democracy, believing that truth and virtue required wisdom — not votes. The majority, he feared, could be misled by emotions or rhetoric.

John Stuart Mill

Defended free speech as a safeguard against majority tyranny. If unpopular views are silenced, truth cannot emerge.

Hannah Arendt

Warned that mass movements, once awakened, can be manipulated — turning people into instruments of ideology.

A Thought Experiment

Imagine a town where 90% of citizens want to ban a religious minority.

They hold a vote. It passes.

The law is enacted legally.

But is it just?

Now ask: if your rights were in the hands of the majority — would you feel safe?

Two Perspectives

Democratic Legitimacy

Justice comes from the people. If the majority chooses, it must be respected.

Moral Independence

Justice is not up for a vote. Some rights must be protected — even from the people themselves.

Tools for Justice

• Constitutional limits – rules that even a majority cannot break

• Independent courts – to guard against popular pressure

• Minority protections – to ensure dignity for all, not just the many

• Media literacy – so opinion is informed, not manipulated

• Philosophical humility – to recognize that the crowd may be wrong

Reflect and Discuss

• Can public opinion ever be dangerous to justice?

• Should every issue be decided by vote?

• What if your rights depended on how others feel about you?

Suggested Readings

• Alexis de Tocqueville – Democracy in America

• Plato – The Republic

• John Stuart Mill – On Liberty

• Hannah Arendt – The Origins of Totalitarianism

• U.S. Bill of Rights – especially the First Amendment

“Justice is not measured by applause.”

— Tiger Lyon