694. Does Democracy Really Need Elections?

Stephen Dubner recently served on a criminal jury. Twelve strangers — selected randomly and barely paid — took the job seriously. Afterward, he wondered: why can’t our politics work that way? A growing movement, inspired by Athenian democracy, says it can. SOURCES:Terry Bouricius, author and former Vermont state representative. Dj Hairston, public-defense lawyer. Kathy Hochul, governor of New York. Hélène Landemore, professor of political science at Yale University. RESOURCES:Democracy Without Politicians: Government by the People, by Terry Bouricius (2026). Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule, by Hélène Landemore (2026). The Principles of Representative Government, by Bernard Manin (1997). EXTRAS:"Has America Lost the Plot?" by Freakonomics Radio (2026). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.