Majority is a decision rule. In a democratic, or democratizing regime, it is the dominant aspect of every policy decision. Majorities can be strong or weak, stable or unstable, organic or procedural. Moreover, majorities can be absolute or relative (plurality). The type of majority depends upon the criteria and rules chosen for selecting a majority.

The vertical axis arises out of the contrast between a focus directly on rules that facilitate decisions and reduce the cost of decision-making versus a prevalent concern for taking all views - represented interests - into account. The horizontal axis rests upon the distinction between two majoritarian environments, one real and highly procedural, the other virtual or organic. This is perhaps one of the main changes in the so-called post-electoral democracies, with majorities often being formed outside their original institutional environment as a result of volatile pressures largely determined by and through the media.