Fareed Zakaria

So considering there's been so much chaos, considering there's been so much, let's call it, anti-democratic action at the

You still say the U.S.

isn't in secular decline.

Walk me through, in your mind, not the fantasy version that you would like to happen, perhaps, but the real version that you think will happen politically for this country.

On the other hand, the Democratic Party is not winning any approval rating wars either.

Galbraith was not just a well-regarded economist.

He was also one of the most realistic, especially when it came to predicting the future.

The only function of economic forecasting, he once said, is to make astrology look respectable.

I'm Stephen Dubner.

This is Freakonomics Radio.

We will be right back to finish up our conversation with Fareed Zakaria.

Let's talk about American electoral politics for just one minute.

It doesn't take a lot to be dissatisfied with the current electoral political system in the US.

Most people are pretty dissatisfied with many, many elements of it.

The way that primaries drive the races, the way that Congress has standstills and partisan friction and so on.

So there have been many, many, many versions of gentle reform.

What about a more radical reform?

What do you think of the ancient Athenian model of sortition, which is a form of democracy with representatives chosen by lottery?

This is how we choose our jurors today.

I've always thought of this idea as a crazy old idea, like how would that possibly work today?