MAIORITY. The state or condition of a person who has arrived at full age. He is then said to be a major, in opposition to minor, which is his condition during infancy.
The greater number. More than all the opponents.
Some question exists as to whether a majority of any body is more than one-half the tohole nuntber or more than the number acting in oppoaition. Thus, in a body of one hundred voters, in whioh twenty did not vote on any particular question, on tbe former supposition fifty-one would be a majority, on the latter forty-one. The intended eignification is gene rally denoted by the context, and where it is not the second sense is generally intended; a majority on a given question being more than one-half the number of those voting.
In every well-regulated society, the majority be,s always olaimed and exercised the right to govern the whole society, in the manner pointed out by the fundamental laws; and the minority are bound whether they have assented or not, for the obvious reason that opposite wills cannot prevail at the same time, in the same society, on the same subject,.
1 Tucker, Blackstone, Comm. Appx. 168, 172; 9 Dane, Abr. 37-43; 1 Story, Const. 330.
As to the rights of the majority of part owners of vessels, see 3 Kent, Cornm. 114 et seq.; Parsons, Marit. Law; PART-OWNERS.
As to the majority of a church, see 16 Mass. 488.
In the absence of all stipulations, the general rule in partnerships is that each partner has an equal voice, and a majority acting bond fide have the right t,o manage the partnership concerns and dispose of the partnership property notwithstanding the dissent of the minority; but in every case when the minority have a right to give an opinion, they ought to be notified. 2 Bouvier, Inst. n. 1954. See PARTNER.
As to the majorities of companies or cor porations, see Angell, Corp. 48 et seq. ; 3 Mart. La. 495. See, generally, Rutherford, Inst. 249; 9 Serg. & R. Penn. 99; Brooke, Abr. Corp. pl. 63; 15 Viner, Abr. 183, 184.