Michael Vazquez: Should we replace politicians with randomly selected people?

Should we replace politicians with randomly selected people?

Elections are tools that ensure a nation’s citizens all have an equal political voice. But these so-called “great equalizers” are often plagued by corruption, partisan divides, and uninformed voters. Which is why some of democracy’s first and most famous practitioners used a different approach: sortition. Michael Vazquez explores how this system could address modern democracy's biggest problems. [Directed by Avi Ofer, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Cem Misirlioglu, Mia Theodoratus, WORKPLAYWORK].

Elections are meant to give every citizen an equal voice, yet they often result in power favoring the wealthy and well-connected. Ancient Athens addressed such pitfalls by choosing most lawmakers through a lottery system called sortition, which prioritized political equality but excluded many groups. Today, a modern version called lottocracy proposes randomly selecting citizens for specialized assemblies, offering training before they make policy decisions. This approach could counteract unequal representation, special interest influence, and political incompetence, but it also raises questions about legitimacy and public accountability.

Random Selection Can Revitalize Modern Democracy’s Flawed Elections

The idea of electing leaders is widely seen as essential to democracy, yet elections often reward the wealthy and connected. Ancient Athens chose most officials by lottery, believing sortition gave ordinary citizens a real say in government. Today, some propose reviving this method to address inequality, special interest influence, and policy expertise. At one point, half of US Congress members were millionaires, highlighting the deep divide between politicians and the public.