Supermajorityare

Supermajorityare is a term used in political theory and speculative fiction to describe a governance principle or class of systems that require the support of a supermajority across a broad spectrum of political actors to enact laws or amendments. The term appears as a coinage blending “supermajority” with the Latin-like suffix “-are,” used to denote a group or category of rules in some writers’ glossaries.

Definition and scope: In a supermajorityare framework, decisions—especially constitutional amendments or major policy shifts—demand a threshold higher than a simple majority, commonly two-thirds or three-fifths, and often including safeguards that require cross-ideological coalition-building. The rules may specify different thresholds by policy domain or emergency conditions, and they may include time delays or review processes to reduce impulsive changes.

Origins and usage: The term is not part of formal constitutional law in real-world states; it appears mainly in theoretical analyses, thought experiments, and speculative fiction. It is used to explore how higher approval thresholds affect governance, accountability, and minority protections, as well as to illustrate potential mechanisms for stabilizing long-term policy.

Impact and critique: Proponents argue that supermajorityare-style regimes promote deliberation, reduce polarization, and protect minority interests by forcing broad consensus. Critics contend that such thresholds can entrench gridlock, empower obstructive minorities, and impede necessary reform, especially in diverse societies where cross-cutting coalitions are difficult to sustain.

See also: supermajority, qualified majority, consensus government, veto power, gridlock.