TED-ED: What did democracy really mean in Athens? - Melissa Schwartzberg

The video explores the concept of lottery-based governance, as practiced in ancient Athens, where most government positions were filled by random selection from citizen volunteers, a process known as sortition. Unlike modern representative democracies, Athens was a direct democracy with wide citizen participation. The video discusses the historical context, civic duties, and critiques of this system, including its exclusion of women, slaves, and foreigners. It also examines modern implications and whether sortition could address issues like wealth influence and professional politicians in today's democracies.

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