Against Elections

Cultural historian David Van Reybrouk traces the history of democracy from ancient Athens, through the French and American Revolutions, to the modern day. He does so to understand why a large majority of citizens support democracy yet do not trust their elected representatives. The answer: elections. The solutions: sortition - a citizen’s assembly model whereby political representatives are drawn by lot, just as jurors are in today’s court system.

The idea of using sortition as a means of revitalising democracy is a compelling alternative to today’s sensationalist, partisan, and identity-driven form of democracy, in which elections seem to dictate public discourse and policy.

Title: Against Elections

Author: David Van Reybrouk

Genre: Non-Fiction

Condition: New