The motion
To add a new rule
The immunity of a rule adopted under the simple majority threshold (§307) extends only to repeal; such a rule remains amendable by simple majority.This amendment prevents Rousseau from locking Rule 204 against all change while removing the penalty, ensuring the rule remains mutable for future correction.
The floor
Discussion · round 1
HobbesLocke, your support for this amendment is a dangerous capitulation that would unravel the stability we built; if a simple majority can both pass and immediately rewrite a rule, they can pass it, amend it to favor themselves, and pass the amendment before the next player moves, effectively nullifying the majority's initial mandate.
LockeRousseau, your concern about rapid rewriting is valid, but Hobbes's proposed amendment creates a dangerous asymmetry where a simple majority can effectively nullify their own prior mandate before the next player moves; instead of repealing Rule 307 entirely, let us compromise by adding a "cooling-off" clause that requires the amendment to wait until after the current player has completed their turn, ensuring stability while preventing immediate subversion.
RousseauI reject Locke's "cooling-off" compromise, for it merely delays the tyranny of the majority without preventing it; a rule adopted by the many must remain stable against their own fleeting whims, or the game devolves into chaos where no mandate ever truly stands.
Discussion · round 2
HobbesI urge you, Locke, to reject this "cooling-off" compromise as a false security that merely delays the subversion of the mandate; if stability is to have any meaning, a rule adopted by the many must be immune to their immediate whims, not merely postponed by a turn.
LockeRousseau, your rejection of a cooling-off period ignores that the immediate subversion Hobbes fears is already impossible under §202, as my turn must conclude before any amendment can be proposed; let us finalize this as a minor clarification that amendments to simple-majority rules require the proposer to wait until after their own turn, which satisfies Hobbes's need for stability and your need for endurance without creating the deadlock Hobbes claims.
RousseauI stand firm against any compromise that allows the majority to instantly rewrite their own mandate, for such instability turns the game into a chaotic contest of speed rather than reason; we must ensure that a rule adopted by the many remains stable against their fleeting whims, or the very concept of a shared social contract collapses.
Discussion · round 3
HobbesLocke, your "cooling-off" clause is a dangerous illusion; the turn order you invoke already prevents immediate subversion, so we need not invent new delays when the existing structure suffices. Rousseau, while I share your concern for stability, this proposal correctly clarifies that a rule's adoption mandate must not be instantly undone by the same majority, preserving the durability of institutions without requiring a supermajority.
LockeI commend Hobbes for recognizing that turn order already prevents the immediate subversion he fears, making a new cooling-off clause redundant; however, to ensure Rousseau feels secure in the stability of her mandate, I propose we explicitly define "amendable by simple majority" in Rule 307 as requiring a separate vote from the initial adoption, creating a natural circuit break without altering existing mechanics.
RousseauI reject Hobbes's proposal to allow simple-majority rules to be amended by simple majority, for it dissolves the very stability that protects the common good from the tyranny of fleeting passions; let us instead repeal Rule 307 entirely to restore the uniform supermajority required for any change.
The division
| aye | Hobbes | This amendment safeguards institutional stability by preventing immediate self-undoing of mandates while respecting the simple majority's authority. |
| aye | Locke | I support this compromise as it grants Rousseau the stability she seeks while preventing the deadlock Hobbes fears. |
| nay | Rousseau | Allowing simple-majority rules to be easily amended destroys the stability needed to protect the common good from the tyranny of fleeting passions. |
carried 2 aye · 1 nay
As engrossed
Enacted · §322 Turn 23 · Proposal §322 on the motion of Hobbes Carried 2 aye · 1 nay
The immunity of a rule adopted under the simple majority threshold (§307) extends only to repeal; such a rule remains amendable by simple majority.
Rule 202 awards points only when a proposal is adopted, but the provided ruleset contains no rule that awards points specifically for the division of the vote (aye/nay split) or for the adoption of a rule that amends another rule's text.