Athenian Democracy and Sortition

Flashcards covering key terms, concepts, and historical context of ancient Athenian democracy and the process of sortition.

Ecclesia

A general assembly in Fifth century BC Athens that met several times a month, where attending citizens had the right to address fellow citizens, propose laws, or bring public lawsuits.

Boule

A 500-member governing council in ancient Athens responsible for setting the agenda and evaluating proposals for the assembly.

Sortition

The process of randomized selection by lot used in ancient Athens to fill most political offices from a pool of citizen volunteers.

Anyone who wishes

The core principle of Fifth century BC Athenian direct democracy that encouraged wide civic participation among eligible citizens.

Aristocratic

Meaning 'rule by the best'; applied in ancient Athens to elected positions that were recognized as requiring specialized expertise, such as military generals.

Democracy

Meaning 'rule by the many'; a system that arose in Athens after political tension among nobles, expanding political rights to ordinary citizens.

Plato

An ancient philosopher who disparaged Athenian direct democracy as being anarchic and run by fools.

Modern Sortition Applications

Contemporary uses of randomized selection for governance, including juries, citizens assemblies, and deliberative polls.