On Tue, 7 Jun 2005, Erik Moeller wrote:
As I've often stated, if you absolutely rule out voting as a last resort, you end up with clubs and cabals which make decisions instead. This is exactly what a content committee would eventually become. Don't destroy the village in order to save it.
Voting only works if the losing side accepts the result & concedes defeat. Politians who win elections are wise to keep that in mind, & should always make an effort to at least refrain from antagonizing the losing side any further.
Voting on Wikipedia to settle issues won't work because the opposing sides are usually so certain that their opinion is the right one, that they will not accept an adverse result from a vote. That any vote on Wikipedia has settled a conflict is a miracle, & proof that the people involved acted in good faith & with a lot of WikiLove.
Geoff