I think voice chat is a major assistance in raiding, grouping and other events. It means you can convey instructions far more quickly than through straight texting. Mandatory? No. An incredibly useful tool? absoltely. So much so that I happily pay more per month for the chat server than I do for the game (though occasional help from kin helps defer that cost).
Having spent 5 years running a kin with an express rule that voice servers were not tolerated (mainly because the game was FFXI and using a 3rd party voice tool was impossible for those on PS2 or Xbox 360, thus making using voice exclusionary), my arguement for all that time was simply because some people could not exercise the option to get it. Since we've moved to LoTRO we do require it during a raid to be able to hear the instructions though speaking is still optional.
Any organized group you find, and honestly I've found this to be more true of LoTRO than other MMO's I've played, will put down voice, age, and other requirements on their members. I've seen more age limited kins than I have in other MMOs. Odd because I find LoTRO to be generally an older age group in general.
Fortunately there are a wide variety of guilds, kins, and play styles throughout the game and everyone eventually either discovers their niche as a solo player or their proper fit within a group. Or they discover a unique niche and create their own groups.
I think you'll find resistance to a voice free kin for two reasons, one the OP has already stated, "not everyone can type out a perfectly constructed conversation" and the second being it's built into the game, and telling people they are not permitted to use a game feature will create an inevitable backlash. Just view the official forums' "when you pay my subscription" style rants.
As far as the comment about, " might argue that the use of voicing has had the added consequence of leading to one person making all the decisions, when previously each individual may have had to make 'on the spot' decisions about what they could do to alleviate a bad situation (just a thought).", I don't think that's accurate. I think in most cases, whether it be a party, raid, or duo, there is always someone who takes a 'lead' role and the others naturally defer to them. typed or spoken. In most cases it's probably better that one person is deferred to simply because 6 chiefs and no indians is a 100% assurance of failure. After all, an elephant is a mouse designed by commitee :)
/wave Shauncy
Edited, Jul 28th 2008 6:14pm by airamis
Edited, Jul 28th 2008 6:17pm by airamis