Noam Beit Midrash - Democracy in the Talmud

And this is known as the oven of akhnai. What is the relevance of akhnai, a snake, in this context? Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: It is characterized in that manner due to the fact that the Rabbis surrounded it with their statements like this snake, and deemed it impure.

It was taught: On that day Rabbi Eliezer answered all the answers on earth and they did not accept it from him. He said, “If the law is like me, the carob tree will prove it”; the carob tree was uprooted from its place one hundred cubits, some say four hundred cubits. They said: “We do not bring proof from a carob tree.”

He went and said “If the law is like me the water channel will prove it”; the water channel flowed in reverse direction. They said: “We do not bring proof from a water channel.”

He went and said “If the law is as I say the walls of the House of Study will prove it”; the walls of the House of Study inclined to fall. Rabbi Yehoshua protested at them, saying to them “If scholars defeat each other in the law, how does it better you?” They did not fall because of the honour of Rabbi Yehoshua and they did not straighten, because of the honour of Rabbi Eliezer, and they still incline and stand.

[R. Eliezer] went and said, “If the law is like me, from Heaven they will prove it”; a heavenly voice came out and said, “What have you with Rabbi Eliezer, who the law is like him in every place?” Rabbi Yehoshua stood on his feet and said “[The Torah] is not in heaven,” (Deuteronomy 30:12). What does "[The Torah] is not in heaven" mean? Rabbi Yirmiyah said: “That the Torah was already given at Sinai, we do not pay attention to a heavenly voice, since You already wrote at Sinai in the Torah, “After the majority to incline,” (Exodus 23:2).

Rabbi Natan later met the prophet Elijah and said to him, “What did the Holy Blessed One do in that hour?” He said to him: “God smiled and said, “My children have defeated Me, My children have defeated Me.”

(2) Do not follow the many (or the great) in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the many, 3] and do not show favouritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.

Rabbi Yitzchak said : "We must not appoint a leader over the Community without first consulting them ; as it is said, "See, the Lord hath called by name Betzalel, the son of Uri" (Exodus 35:30). The Holy Blessed One asked Moses, "Is Betzalel acceptable to you?" He replied, "Ruler of the universe, if he is acceptable to You, how much more so to me!" God said to him, "Nevertheless, go and tell the people." He went and asked Israel, "Is Betzalel acceptable to you?" They answered, "If he is acceptable to the Holy Blessed One, and to you, how much more so to us!"

The residents of a town can force one another (even the minority can force the majority - Rabbenu Yerucham 6:31) to put up a wall with gates and a bolt for the town; and to build a synagogue and to buy a book of the Torah, Prophets and Writings so that anyone from the community may read from them. REMA: And the same is true for all the needs of the town… And the residents of the town can force one another to provide hospitality for guests, distribute charity to them and to contribute to the charity container…

And with a matter that the community is not able to be in agreement about, all the heads of households that pay taxes should convene and accept upon themselves that each one proclaim his opinion for the sake of heaven, and [then] go according to the majority. And if the minority [refuses to go along], the majority can force them to comply - even through the laws of the idolaters (i.e. non-Jews) - and to extricate money form them, and they must give their portion. And backed by the ban (cherem), the opinion of one who refuses to state his opinion is nullified, and we follow the majority of those stating their opinion.