Ideas change everything

What if we replaced politicians with randomly selected people?

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Brett Hennig |

TEDxDanubia

• May 2017

If you think democracy is broken, here's an idea: let's replace politicians with randomly selected people. Author and activist Brett Hennig presents a compelling case for sortition democracy, or random selection of government officials -- a system with roots in ancient Athens that taps into the wisdom of the crowd and entrusts ordinary people with making balanced decisions for the greater good of everyone. Sound crazy? Learn more about how it could work to create a world free of partisan politics.

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Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

If you think democracy is broken, here's an idea: let's replace politicians with randomly selected people. Author and activist Brett Hennig presents a compelling case for sortition democracy, or random selection of government officials -- a system with roots in ancient Athens that taps into the wisdom of the crowd and entrusts ordinary people with making balanced decisions for the greater good of everyone. Sound crazy? Learn more about how it could work to create a world free of partisan politics.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxDanubia, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Sign up to our email list and keep informed about how the campaign for sortition is progressing worldwide.

Support the campaign to institute sortition in government. Become a member of the Sortition Foundation. Yes, we are a nonprofit, member-run organization.

About the speaker

Author, activist

See speaker profile

Brett Hennig co-founded and directs the Sortition Foundation, which campaigns to institute the use of stratified, random selection (also called sortition) in government.

Learn more

The End of Politicians: Time for a Real Democracy

Brett Hennig | Unbound Digital (2017)

Brett Hennig - *The End of Politicians: Time for a Real Democracy*

About TEDx

TEDx was created in the spirit of TED's mission, "ideas worth spreading." It supports independent organizers who want to create a TED-like event in their own community.

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxDanubia, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Sign up to our email list and keep informed about how the campaign for sortition is progressing worldwide.

Support the campaign to institute sortition in government. Become a member of the Sortition Foundation. Yes, we are a nonprofit, member-run organization.

Brett Hennig: What if we replaced politicians with randomly selected people? | TED Talk