I mean the ancient Athenians were funny, they didn't really have our idealistic illusions about democracy, a word that originally in their language just straight up meant "mob rule"
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An election was originally known by everyone as a sort of virtual war, to save the cost in money and bloodshed of a real war All the factions that would be fighting in a civil war just count up how many guys they have and the probable losers surrender gracefully
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Same with ostracism, it's just virtual stoning Instead of the unpleasantness that comes with actually stoning someone to death everyone just writes the name on their stone of who they would throw it at if they could and the person agrees to leave the city peacefully
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Which is why it's so funny that the *formal process* for an ostracism mirrors the formation of a rioting lynch mob First we hold a vote to determine that yes, we're all angry enough to lynch somebody, *then* we decide whom we're actually going to lynch
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Lol painted the man?
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