Peter Jones

Breaking the deadlock

issue 10 August 2019

It is said that our political system is ‘broken’ simply because the passions aroused by Brexit have effectively created a hung parliament. So what to do about it? Athenians would have dealt with the problem by ostracism. Its purpose was to send one citizen into exile.

Once a year Athenian citizens (all males over 18) meeting in assembly got the chance to vote for an ostracism.

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