the good of the many vs. the needs of the few theme

The following kind of dilemma is illustrated: In choosing between two incompatible policies, if one is somewhat beneficial to a large number of people while the other is many times more important to a smaller number of people, how do we decide which is morally preferable?

52 total · 10 choice · 22 major · 20 minor

StoryLevelMotivation
bbf1x09 choice kill some so that others can live forever?
ds91x15 choice development of energy sources on moon to benefit Bajoran people vs. Mullibok wanting to stay in his home on the moon
ds92x13 choice were the alien's justified in killing Miles and Julian just because they had knowledge of how to build the biological weapons?
ds93x24 choice Winn Adami wanted Shakar to return soil reclamators for the good of Bajor
ent4x16 choice Klingons repeatedly justified sacrificing individuals for the greater good. Should Phlox test a potentially lethal plague cure on four Klingons to potentially save millions from dying of the plague?
tng3x11 choice Angosians maintain a peaceful and safe society by keeping war veterans on prison moon
tng7x20 choice Picard :: Picard about resettling the natives
tz2002e1x42 choice Were the four college students justified in sacrificing a fifth among them to save their own skins, and perhaps the world?
voy7x05 choice it was clearly stated that the present system had worked marvels for society as a whole
voy7x25/26 choice Janeway about bringing crew home or destroying the Borg's capacity to assimilate Alpha Quadrant aliens