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JumpCrisscrosstoday at 2:03 PM3 repliesview on HN

> Disparaging democracy

The ancient Athenians knew that elections favored the rich. That’s why they incorporated selection by lot into their system. Our modern understanding of democracy has fetishized elections to the point that some voters might see hundreds of them in a year, including for positions that shouldn’t ever be elected (e.g. judges), while still having little to no actual civic power.


Replies

triceratopstoday at 2:04 PM

How will you get selection by lot into the current system without violence? Voting.

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thijsontoday at 4:02 PM

I think the Athenians named our current system an oligarchy. Selection by lot would take a lot of the corrupting influence of money out of the system too. There would need to be safeguards though, similar to how juries are protected during a trial.

I read somewhere recently about how congress should be much bigger than it is currently due to population growth, and how that would make all the redistricting that currently happens irrelevant.

catigulatoday at 2:06 PM

The "just vote" lot are the perfect pressure release valve for the failed system.

Out of control inflation? No healthcare? Endless war?

Just vote! You just have to vote for a democrat!

It's time to say no to these charlatans. If people lose hope in the system, that's when it can change.

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