Way off topic, but this <<"THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT TO BE IN IRELAND" ERGO THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND WANT TO REMAIN "BRITISH" HAVE NO RIGHTS? >> is encapsulates many of the problems with the democratic ideal.

Firstly, the constituency problem. Who should vote? Whatever happens to Northern Ireland will affect (in different ways) the citizens of Northern ireland, the Republic, England and Scotland (and to some extent, Wales?). Now imagine a vote on, for example, unification. You would obviously get a different result depending on which of those affected areas you allowed to vote.

Likewise, the choice of US President will affect almost everyone in the world, but only US citizens can vote.

And the Irish situation amply illustrates that voting is so often "tribal" so the biggest tribe in each constituency will usually win. This is why we have so-called "safe" and "marginal" seats in the UK Parliament. Labour areas and Conservative areas. Only a minority are persuaded by the arguments and policies. Likewise, there are Republican and Democratic staters or cities in the USA.

Then there's the majority/mob problem: should the majority dictate to the minority? It's one thing to "Let's decide which way WE are going", but another to decide "Which way YOU are going". This is an argument legitimately deployeed by the pro-hunting minority in the UK, for example. (No, I'm not pro hunting, but I do recognise their right to argue legitimately for their cause.)

But now we're waay off topic. Oops!