What did democracy really mean in Athens? - Melissa Schwartzberg
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TEDEd Animation
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While we might consider elections to be the cornerstone of democracy, the Athenians who coined the term actually employed a lottery system to choose most of their politicians. Melissa Schwartzberg describes the ins and outs of the Athenian democracy, and addresses some ways in which a lottery system might benefit us today.
Do you think Athenian democracy sounds attractive? What features of Athenian political practice are most compelling?
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Meet The Creators
- Director Jeremiah Dickey
- Educator Melissa Schwartzberg
- Script Editor Alex Gendler
- Narrator Addison Anderson
