A governance proposal is a structured request to change something on-chain — a parameter, a fee, an authorised contract, the issuer of an MPT. The proposal goes to a vote among token-holders or designated voters.
The two thresholds you must understand
Quorum
The minimum participation required for a vote to be valid. A 30% quorum means: at least 30% of eligible voting power must vote, or the proposal is void no matter the result.
Quorum protects against capture by a small, motivated minority.
Pass threshold
The minimum approval among those who voted. A 50% + 1 simple majority is common; some critical actions (treasury moves, contract upgrades) require 67% or 75%.
Pass threshold protects against narrow contentious passage.
Why both must be set
Without quorum, three motivated whales can pass anything during a quiet weekend. Without a meaningful pass threshold, a 51% majority can ratchet through controversial actions over a determined 49% minority.
What participating in governance actually costs
Reading the proposal carefully. Asking who benefits. Asking what the worst case is if it passes. Reading the diff when one is provided. If you do not have time for that, abstain or delegate — do not rubber-stamp.