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Social paradoxes of majority rule voting and renormalization group

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Abstract

Real-space renormalization group ideas are used to study a voting problem in political science. A model to construct self-directed pyramidal structures from bottom up to the top is presented. Using majority rules, it is shown that a minority and even a majority can be systematically self-eliminated from top leadership, provided the hierarchy has a minimal number of levels. In some cases, 70% of the population is found to have zero representation after six hierarchical levels. Results are discussed with respect to the internal operation of political organizations.

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Galam, S. Social paradoxes of majority rule voting and renormalization group. J Stat Phys 61, 943–951 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01027314

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