I dunno, what is a democracy?

Indy,

You stated a democracy does not hand the reigns to
minorities.

That's not quite true. A tolerance of criticism
and of dissenting opinions is fundamental to democracy.
Governing parties must resist the temptation to equate
their own policies with the national good, or they will tend
to regard opposition as disloyal or even treasonable.
Similarly, democracies must avoid the danger of the
"tyranny of the majority."

In some cases the democratic process may work in such a
way that a small minority (Sikhs in India, for example)
is rendered permanently powerless. For groups in this
position, democracy might as well not exist, and it is
important that government should recognise the
grievances of minorities that have little political clout.
If the losers in the political process do not accept
the legitimacy of the process under which they have lost,
they may resort to more radical tactics outside the
institutional framework.

"tyranny of the majority."
Foxy,
That is no different to the Tyranny of minority. Get several minorities banding together & they'll use the argument of majority rule.
Tyranny of majority is a catchy term in a philosophical way, in an everyday reality it is not encountered in free-ish, non-fanatic religious societies .

Indy,

Australia is a secular society.

The point being made was that the rights of minorities
cannot be ignored in a democracy - because as you agreed
they are capable of uniting in pursuit of
their goals. And after all our government is supposed
to serve all of the people not just a select few.

Foxy: Similarly, democracies must avoid the danger of the
"tyranny of the majority."

Also, Similarly, democracies must avoid the danger of the
"tyranny of the minority." which seems to be the case in the Western World at this present time.

Democracies are supposed to work for the Common Good, not to appease a Lunatical Fringe Minority, which seems to be the case in the Western World at this present time.

Foxy: In some cases the democratic process may work in such a
way that a small minority (Sikhs in India, for example)
is rendered permanently powerless.

Not the same thing as a Lunatical Fringe Group as is growing in the West, fed by a Socialist/Marxist University System. Is it Foxy. & India has a Cast System in place even though they have supposedly got rid of it. That.., is not the same thing Foxy, & you know it.

Foxy: it is important that government should recognize the grievances of minorities that have little political clout.

Yes they should, but Governments should not penalize the Majority to satisfy the grievances of that Minority. The very thing which is happening at the moment.

I see that as being very undemocratic, when a Government implements Laws to appease a minority to the detriment of the Majority. Don't you

Jayb,

I don't see much of a problem quite frankly.

Minorities still do not have that large a
representation in Parliament as the rest of us.
We still have more control than they do.
However, in a democracy they do have the right for their
voices to be heard.

As for universities?

Well I guess the trouble with having an open-mind is of course
that people at university will insist on coming along and
trying to put things in it. (smile).