Consider Ireland, where for many years Catholics objected that if a vote were held within Northern Ireland, the two-thirds Protestant majority would rule. Protestants replied that if a vote were held within the geographical area of the entire island, the two-thirds Catholic majority would rule.
投票并不总是能解决民族自决问题。首先，有在哪里进行投票的问题。想想爱尔兰，多年来，如果是在北爱尔兰进行投票，天主教徒就会反对，因为在那里占三分之二多数的新教徒会获胜。新教徒回应说，如果在整个爱尔兰范围内进行投票，占三分之二多数的天主教徒就会获胜。