Full Idea
The drawing of lots, the most democratic of all political instruments, lost out in the eighteenth century to elections, a procedure that was not invented as a democratic instrument, but as a means of bringing a new non-hereditary aristocracy to power.
Gist of Idea
In the 18th century democratic lots lost out to elections, that gave us a non-hereditary aristocracy
Source
David van Reybrouck (Against Elections [2013], 3 'democratisation')
Book Reference
Reybrouck,David van: 'Against Elections', ed/tr. Waters,Liz [Bodley Head 2016], p.104
A Reaction
This is the basic thesis of Van Reybrouck's book. He argues for the extensive use of lots ('sortition') for getting people involved in modern democracies. I love the idea that in a good democracy you get an occasional chance to rule.