Our presidential election brings to mind classical Athens, 5th century B.C., when a never-before-anywhere political revolution and invention gave each citizen (about 40,000 adult males), the right to vote.

Athenian democracy, much of which was based on fear of ambitious politicians: (1) divided the population into ten tribes, each combining citizens from ‘downtown’ Athens, its countryside and coastal areas, thus avoiding both a red-blue and urban-rural divide; (2) created a Popular Assembly of citizens to debate and vote on an agenda of issues drafted by a randomly selected Council of 500, 50 from each tribe; (3) appointed public officials by lot, rather than by vote; (4) imposed an extreme term limit of one year on all officials, except military generals; (5) established law courts consisting of at least 201 jurors who made decisions without the so-called benefit of a presiding judge; (6) provided daily salaries for officials, jurors and Assembly attendees; and (7) established an annual ostracism whereby Athenians could vote (6,000 being required) to exile any official for 10 years!

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