The first thing to note is that, even as late as 1762, a thinker who
undertook to lay down the "Principles of Political Right" (as the
Social Contract was subtitled) would make a place for lot in his
political theory. Both Montesquieu and Rousseau were fully aware
that lot can select incompetents, which is what strikes us today, and
explains why we do not even think of attributing public functions
by lot