# Most want a democracy that balances majority rule with compromise

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/politics/most-want-a-democracy-that-balances-majority-rule-with-compromise/

> Indexed question in Politics.

## Reading

About a third of Americans (32%) think democracy means the majority should compromise with the minority about half of the time, according to a September 2023 Verasight survey.

More Americans lean toward compromise than toward unchecked majority rule: 39% favor a democracy where the majority compromises more often than not, including 19% who say the majority should never overrule minority opinion and should always compromise. The remaining 29% tilt toward majority rule, including 10% who say democracy means the majority always gets what it wants, no matter what the minority wants.

## Topline

People have different ideas about how democracy should work. How would you place your preferences on this scale?

Most want a democracy that balances majority rule with compromise.

- 4 Democracy means that the majority should compromise about half of the time.: 32.0%
- 1 Democracy means compromise: the majority should never overrule minority opinion, and should always compromise.: 18.7%
- 5: 13.1%
- 3: 12.8%
- 7 Democracy means the majority always gets what it wants, no matter what the minority wants: 9.8%
- 2: 7.5%
- 6: 6.0%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: United States adults
- Field dates: 2023-09-07 → 2023-09-13
- Base (unweighted): 2,000
- Margin of error: +/- 2.3%
- Module: 2023 APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://verasight-apsa-2023.tiiny.co#preferences-on-democracy](https://verasight-apsa-2023.tiiny.co#preferences-on-democracy)

## Citation

2023 APSA Omnibus Survey #2023-071, fielded September 7-13, 2023, N=2,000 United States adults, +/- 2.3%.

Canonical question URL: [https://verasight-apsa-2023.tiiny.co#preferences-on-democracy](https://verasight-apsa-2023.tiiny.co#preferences-on-democracy)