We Should Let a Lottery Decide Our Government (2019)

In ancient Athens, citizens—free adult men—would gather in the assembly, thousands at a time. At the peak of Athenian democracy, in the fourth and fifth century BCE, every citizen had the right to speak in this legislature on issues of the state, which ranged from finances to military matters and even the impeachment of generals. After these discussions, they could vote on final decisions, either with a show of hands or by secret ballot. In this popular image of Athenian direct democracy, we often overlook another institution: rule by lot. Members of the council, responsible for the administration of Athens, were selected randomly from a group of willing and eligible candidates to serve for a year-long term. Members were tasked with setting the assembly’s agenda along with other administrative duties, such as managing the finances and foreign affairs of the city-state. Only motions that had been approved by the council could be discussed by the larger assembly. The juror-judges of pol ... Read full article.