________________
Consensus Decision-making/29 An objection is often raised that a single man may the be able to block any decision, defying all others. What could then be done? The man may be right or he may just be obdurate. If he is right, he will make others understand his point of view. If he is obdurate, the village community should devise ways to bring him round. It should be creative enough to do so. Consensus may not be reached in a few village communities; but that would obstruct their progress, while the communities that succeed in doing so would go ahead. That would make the former sit up and set them thinking. It is through love that real progress takes place; not through fear. One has to be patient. A child sows a seed, but has no patience to let it take its own time for germination. This is not how the adults should behave. When the people realize that one should not stick to one's views obstinately at the cost of the village unity, consensus will not be difficult to achieve. In fact, majoritarianism is against human nature; consensus is more in keeping with it.
