Group Think
"The tendency for members of a cohesive group to reach decisions without
weighing all the facts, especially those contradicting the majority opinion."
(from:
http://allpsych.com/dictionary/g.html )
When I was studying psychology, I found the behavior called "group think"
particularly interesting because I could easily recall situations where I had
fallen prey to it. In my case, I belonged to a little group of people in my
community that had no elected leaders. Yet when I was in discussions with the
group over small issues, I remained silent because the bullies in the group
intimidated me even when their ideas would be detrimental to the group as a
whole.
Here are just a few quotes from the Federalist Papers that show that our
Founding Fathers understood group think.
"…Do groups of men act with more virtue than individuals? Observers of human
behavior know that the opposite happens. An individual worries more about his
reputation than that of his group because blame for the detestable action of a
group is divided among a number of people. A group of people is often poisoned
by faction, pushing it into improper and excessive behavior that would embarrass
the individuals." Federalist Paper #15 [paragraph 12]*
"…Political decisions cannot be based on arithmetic. Sixty men might be more
trusted with power than six. But that doesn't mean 600 men would be even safer.
And 6,000 men reverses the whole reasoning.
"The number needs to be large enough for open discussion and to guard against
conspiracies. But the number can be too large, creating confusion and an
intolerant mob. In all very large assemblies, passion always over-takes
reasoning. Even if every Athenian citizen had been a Socrates, every Athenian
assembly would still have been a mob." Federalist Paper #55 [3]
"…Passions and self-interest have more control over human conduct than policy,
usefulness, or justice…" Federalist Paper #6 [9]
The Founding Fathers wouldn't be surprised if Congress passed a bill that the
people didn't want.
"…The representatives of the people sometimes seem to believe that they are the
people themselves…" Federalist Papers #71 [4]
They also put a solution in the Constitution.
. "…The federal elections clause also has an advantage that could not have been
as effectively gotten in any other way.
"I'm talking about a uniform time for the election of federal Representatives.
This uniformity may prove important to the public welfare. It can be a security
against continuing an unhealthy spirit in the body and a cure for the diseases
of faction.
"If each State could choose its own time for elections, there could be as many
different times as there are months in the year. Currently, States hold
elections at different times between March and November. If the House elections
are held at different times, it would never be totally dissolved and remade. If
an improper spirit took over the House of Representatives, as new members
joined, they would probably be infected by the improper spirit. The mass would
be likely hold onto the improper spirit and gradually assimilate new members
into itself. The older members will have an influence that few new members would
have enough willpower to resist.
"The entire House of Representatives will be dissolved every two years. This
means there will be less danger to liberty than a shorter term with gradual
changes." Federalist Paper #61 [4]
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* All Federalist Paper quotes are from The Federalist
Papers: Modern English Edition Two, available on my website and Amazon.com
for $24.95
http://Mary.Webster.org
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