Stochocracy

Stochocracy is an alternative form of democracy to representative democracy. Stochocracy actually is the original form of democracy, the Athenian democracy: other forms of polity, all based on a supposed superiority of the rulers, especially ones using election, were deemed aristocracy by ancient Greeks. Such a system could also be called lottocracy, sortition or klerotocracy. The system was proposed by the writer Roger de Sizif in 1998 in his book “La Stochocratie”,^[1] though early forms of this system were in use in ancient Athens. This system is defended among others by Étienne Chouard.

The iron law of oligarchy (see Robert Michels) asserts that representative democracies gradually devolve towards particracy. Stochocracy aims to reduce this decline by appointing representatives by lot instead of voting. Criticisms include:

• People not interested or capable in matters of law and politics cannot be forced to spend significant time during several years on this. Members at least mentally quit, while such disinterest may make them less resistant to corruption.
• Stochocracy does not specifically prevent excess influence by special interests. Defenders of direct democracy claim that only when all stakeholders vote directly, the only way special interest groups can have a significant influence is by bribing large numbers of voters.

Notes

References

• La Stochocratie, Roger de Sizif, 1998, ISBN 2-251-39029-4, ISBN 978-2-251-39029-1 http://www.amazon.ca/Stochocratie-Roger-Sizif/dp/2251390294
• Le Sceptre du hasard, Gérard Klein, 1968.
• Loterie solaire, Philip K. Dick, 1974.
• La démocratie est morte, vive la clérocratie ! Ou la clérocratie comme alternative à la démocratie, François Amanrich, Barre & Dayez, 1999, 104 p.
• Pour en finir avec la démocratie, François Amanrich, Éditions du Papyrus, 2007, 180 p.
• La Stochocratie
• L'élection organise une aristocratie, Laurent Henry et Philippe-Alexandre Pouille, 10 mars 2008. Aussi sur France Culture, “Sur le bateau d’Ulysse”, 15 août 2008.
• La Néodémocratie, proposition pour résoudre les crises de la démocratie libérale par l’utilisation raisonnée du tirage au sort.
• démocratie : tirage au sort des députés
• "Manifeste pour une Nouvelle Démocratie" ou comment concilier le tirage au sort des parlementaires et le recours à l'expertise pour contrôler réellement l'exécutif
• La clérocratie
• Stochocratie ou clérocratie ?