ABSTRACT
Five countries, call them A, B, C, D, and E, form a union (perhaps to provide for common defense or to establish an export cartel). The countries agree on a system of governance by which yes-no decisions are made by voting, assigning each country a number of votes roughly proportional to its population, as follows:
COUNTRY VOTES
A 9
B 8
C 6
D 3
E 1
Resolutions pass if at least 14 of the 27 votes are in favor. Is it better to be country D than country E? The question is not
merely whether it is at least as good to be country D as country E. The question is whether it is strictly better. Is it better to be C than D? B than C? A than B?
