Same as before

Posted Oct 29, 2025 7:41 UTC (Wed) by Cyberax (✭ supporter ✭, #52523)
In reply to: Same as before by marcH
Parent article: Python Software Foundation withdraws security-related grant proposal

> Or, maybe the mere idea of voting is flawed? https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/645360/against-e...
I didn't read that book, it was a reference from somewhere else. The summary is interesting.

I read it. The title is very provocative, and people often assume that it's some nonsense about restoring aristocracy. Not so. This book makes a very persuasive argument that some measure random selection ("sortition") is needed to preserve the democracy itself.

I'm not totally sold on it because I don't entirely _want_ powerful interests to be ignored in favor of immediate popular demand.

Same as before

Posted Oct 29, 2025 15:18 UTC (Wed) by Wol (subscriber, #4433) [Link] (3 responses)

> I read it. The title is very provocative, and people often assume that it's some nonsense about restoring aristocracy. Not so. This book makes a very persuasive argument that some measure random selection ("sortition") is needed to preserve the democracy itself.

This is why I think gutting the House of Lords is/was a disaster.

Certainly the hereditary seats were pretty much a random selection of society. The appointed seats less so, but still fairly random. And as a place with little hard power, but who took their revising role seriously, they did a good job. Unfortunately, "this ain't going to work" doesn't make waves, so they've been gutted and the quality of general legislation has gone down ...

If we introduce real voting, expect the quality of legislation to go down the pan ...

Cheers,
Wol

Same as before

Posted Oct 29, 2025 15:21 UTC (Wed) by jzb (editor, #7867) [Link] (2 responses)

I modded this through as it's not impolite or objectionable or anything like that, but we've gone well off topic. National electoral systems and hereditary seats are, perhaps, interesting but far off topic.

This is, as we apparently must say, not directed solely at Wol but I'm placing the comment here in hopes of it being seen before folks hit the reply button. Let's just end the thread here. Thanks.

Same as before

Posted Oct 29, 2025 16:41 UTC (Wed) by Wol (subscriber, #4433) [Link] (1 responses)

Apologies, but I hit the reply button before seeing the "please close the topic" post. I've been off-line for a couple of days and was wading through unread posts.

Cheers,
Wol

Same as before

Posted Oct 29, 2025 16:42 UTC (Wed) by jzb (editor, #7867) [Link]

Not the end of the world by any means, no apology necessary. Thanks, though.