Democracy by lottery is a very ancient idea, one that was tried in Athens and quickly abandoned because it resulted in disastrous consequences for the city. The

Democracy by lottery is a very ancient idea, one that was tried in Athens and quickly abandoned because it resulted in disastrous consequences for the city. The consequences were so bad that the idea was never seriously considered again until now. Among the consequences: - The lot was usually determined by birth, so it tended to perpetuate privilege. - People who didn't want to serve often found ways to get out of it, so the people who ended up serving were often the ones who didn't want to. - It resulted in a lot of incompetent people in positions of power. - And perhaps worst of all, it tended to breed a culture of resentment and envy, since the people who were chosen by lot often felt that they didn't deserve it and the people who weren't chosen often felt that they did. The idea that democracy by lottery is a good idea is simply absurd.