In ancient Greece, they asked those who were selected at random to serve for one year. You could have them serve longer, if it was institutionalized. I think the most encouraging aspect of our deliberative polls is the fact that the results produced by randomized groups are often very thoughtful.
… the best way to pursue long-term democratic reform is to provide a context where the deliberative democracy of the people flourishes and can give voice to key concerns. Policy choices have to be made consonant with the informed preferences of the population. That is the highest form of democracy.
Political parties need to become more democratic themselves. If they fail the test of internal democracy, they will lose their hold on people, their legitimacy, their members. Today, many parties are self-organizing oligarchies.
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