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In ancient Greece, particularly Athens, 

sortition (selection by lot) and the concept of the idiotes (private citizen) were directly linked to the Athenian democratic ideal that governance was a duty shared by all citizens, not just an elite few. Sortition ensured a representative government of ordinary people, while the idiotes was viewed negatively as someone who shirked this civic responsibility. YouTube +4

Sortition in Ancient Greece

Sortition was considered the truly democratic method of selecting public officials, as opposed to elections, which were viewed as aristocratic because they favored the wealthy, well-known, orators, and skilled. YouTube +1

• The Kleroterion: Athenians used a specialized stone machine called a kleroterion to randomly select citizens for government positions, ensuring fairness and preventing corruption.
• The Council of 500 (Boule): The primary administrative body, which prepared legislation for the Assembly, was composed of citizens chosen by lot annually.
• Magistrates and Courts: Roughly 600 of the 700 city magistrates were chosen by lot, as were the 6,000 jurors (dikastai) who served in the courts.
• Exceptions: Positions requiring specific skills, such as military generals (strategoi), were elected rather than chosen by lot.
• Rotation: Sortition was paired with limited terms, ensuring high turnover and allowing as many citizens as possible to take their turn administering the state. YouTube +4

Idiotes in Ancient Greece

The term idiotes (ἰδιώτης) originated from idios (“private” or “one’s own”). It did not originally mean a mentally deficient person, but rather a “private individual” who did not participate in public affairs (ta politika). newDemocracy Foundation +4

• Political Obligation: In Athenian democracy, civic engagement was a duty. A citizen was expected to participate in the Assembly (Ekklesia), serve on juries, and potentially hold office.
• Social Stigma: Those who abstained from politics were considered self-centered, foolish, and potentially dangerous to the state. They were viewed as “amateurs” or “unskilled” in the art of governance compared to active citizens.
• Evolution of Meaning: Over time, particularly in the Roman era, the term evolved to mean uneducated or ignorant, eventually transforming into the modern, derogatory term “idiot”. Facebook +5

Summary: The Connection

Sortition was designed to force the idiotes out of their private lives and into public service, ensuring that the government was comprised of ordinary citizens rather than professional politicians. It represented the Greek belief that in matters of politics, the average citizen was competent to rule and be ruled in turn. Marxists Internet Archive +4