Role of Lotteries in Selecting Officials

Lotteries have been historically used to select officials in certain democratic systems, particularly in ancient Athens. This method aimed to promote fairness and equality by randomly choosing citizens for public office, reducing the influence of wealth and connections. The idea behind this approach is that every eligible citizen has an equal chance of serving, which can prevent corruption and ensure diverse representation. In modern discussions of governance, such lottery systems are considered as alternatives to elections, suggesting they could lead to more genuine public participation and less partisanship in selecting leaders.