Hélène Landemore is a political scientist at Yale who studies democracy. She has a radical idea for fixing politics: what if we replaced career politicians with citizen assemblies, filled with people chosen by lottery? In this episode, Hélène and Adam discuss the history of this idea, tracing back to Ancient Greece and the birth of democracy, as well as recent examples of countries and states that have tried this bold method of governance. Hélène responds to some common questions and concerns about citizen assemblies, and Adam breaks down some evidence supporting the notion that ordinary citizens may be more fit to serve and lead than professional politicians.

Host & Guest

Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: https://adamgrant.net/)

Hélène Landemore (Website: https://www.helenelandemore.com/)

Links

Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593713982

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts

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