What is a veto? How does a veto affect the idea of majority rule?

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1. **Definition of a Veto**  
   A veto is the power to unilaterally stop or reject a decision or proposal. For example, if a legislative body passes a bill, an executive (such as a president) may have the authority to veto that bill, thereby preventing it from becoming law without further modifications or overriding actions.

2. **Majority Rule Versus Veto Power**  
   Under majority rule, a decision is approved if more than half of the votes are in favor. This can be represented as:  
   $$
   \text{Decision passes if } \frac{\text{Number of favorable votes}}{\text{Total votes}} > 0.5
   $$
   However, the presence of a veto changes this dynamic. Even if the above condition is met, the veto allows an individual or a group with veto power to block the decision.

3. **Impact on Majority Rule**  
   - **Checks and Balances:** The veto is a tool intended to prevent the "tyranny of the majority." It ensures that decisions are not made solely based on simple majority rule, but must also consider the views of a significant minority or another branch of government.
   - **Requirement for Consensus:** With a veto in place, a simple majority is not always sufficient to enact decisions. Often, a veto can only be overridden by an even larger majority (a supermajority). This means a proposal must not only have majority support but must also be acceptable to the veto authority.
   - **Protection of Minority Interests:** Veto power ensures that important decisions are subject to broader consensus, thereby protecting against hasty or one-sided decisions that might harm the interests of minority groups.

4. **Conclusion**  
   In summary, a veto is a mechanism by which an individual or authority can block a decision even if it garners majority support. This feature modifies the pure mechanics of majority rule, ensuring that decisions receive broader support or must meet additional criteria (such as a supermajority) to be implemented.
A **veto** is the power to stop a decision or proposal, like a president rejecting a bill. This power affects **majority rule** by allowing one person or group to block decisions even if they have the support of more than half. It ensures that important decisions are made with broader agreement, not just by a simple majority.

What is a veto? How does a veto affect the idea of majority rule?

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