Lotteries and Democracy

Abstract

Incorporating elements of randomization in political selection has long been a part of the democratic tradition, but the use of randomly assigned groups — in the form of deliberative assemblies, committees, or parliaments — is increasingly being advocated to “fix” democracy today. Our book looks at the conditions under which lotteries can be used to improve democratic participation, representation, and policymaking, by analyzing micro-level empirical evidence on the use of lotteries and citizens’ assemblies in historical cases (from ancient Greece to modern Europe), to help inform recent policy calls. The book also provides new insight into the specific implementation details — often overlooked in policy calls — of sortition, including screening and auditing, that directly impact policymaking outcomes. By providing actionable recommendations on implementation, the book seeks to better understand the design and practice of lottery-based procedures in modern democratic governance.