Friday, March 07, 2008 Seares: 'Wisdom of the crowds' By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
WHY does the size of the crowd matter in an election rally or, the current rage, a protest action?
Crowd size is supposed to reflect public sentiment.
Politicians used to make a big thing about showing voters' support on election eve until the hakot system that buses in paid warm bodies was exposed as a fraud and a lot costlier than direct purchase of votes.
Crowds still count in protests though, especially the ones now staged to whip up "people power" to oust President Arroyo.
Thus the quibbling over how many people filled spaces in the Feb. 25 and 29 rallies in Makati.
Numbers are deflated or inflated, depending upon who's making the spin. Media ducks potshots by quoting each side's claim and the police figure.
Diligent journalists check numbers against reality: rally area and how many people a square foot of ground can hold without anyone being squeezed or trampled.
An organizer's boast they'd produce 500,000 to a million crowd was squelched with: "Where would you put all of them?" The claim slid to 50,000.
Better judgment
The larger the crowd, the stronger the perception of public outrage---and wisdom.
James Suroweicki in his book "The Wisdom of Crowds" argues that "decisions taken by large groups of people are almost always better than those of small numbers of experts---even when those in the large group aren't very bright."
Given the debate on the Edsas, the issue is far from settled.
People outside the strip of mecca called Manila see no fairness or wisdom in entrusting to a small fraction of the country's populace the enormous decision to change presidents.
