Editing Validation Pool (section)

=== Non-binding votes and legislative governance ===
''Main article: [[Legislative governance]]''

On the other hand, a non-binding vote means the DAO intends to implement the result of the proposal, but that is not hard-coded to automatically execute. A loosely-coupled<ref>Vitalik Buterin introduced the terminology of binding and coupled votes in a blog post that is not available at the time of this writing.</ref> vote means the opposite of a tightly coupled vote--if their assertion fails, the voter will not lose their tokens. This mechanism of non-binding votes encourages authentic deliberation in the course of legislative governance. The basic idea is to encourage timely adoption of carefully considered protocol updates through a series of Validation Pools, moving from loosely-coupled votes to tightly-coupled votes, through a series of <math>p</math>-votes as <math>p</math> is programmed to move from 0 (loose) to 1 (tight). The loosely-coupled votes are voluntary polls of proposals intended to elicit authentic opinion. The tightly-coupled votes ensure validated protocol updates are official, since binding Validation Pools force unanimity.   

By using a final vote which is binding, everyone who participates registers the same opinion by algorithmic force, since minority dissent is punished by loss of tokens. Consensus is assured even if it is merely tacit acceptance. It is obviously not ideal to stifle those with differing views. But it is occasionally necessary for the decentralized body to require a timely choice in order to react to an emergency in the changing market.  

????

Table ?? holds a summary of this thinking. Binding Non-binding Rigid Non-contentious post & tightly-coupled (E.g., work-evidence post, mandatory plebiscite) Non-contentious post & loosely-coupled (E.g., poll of consensus on established precedent) Flexible Contentious post & tightly-coupled (E.g., forcing consensus on protocol development) Contentious post & loosely-coupled (E.g., protocol development poll, advisory referendum)