Could random selection of leader-politicians have been better?

Question

i'm thinking of the governing/government of Iraq;
It operates-just about-by a simple majority;nothing wrong
with that.
But if the politicians were selected,fairly,by random-would
these ordinary people be more likely to unify and galvanize
both the government and the population.
(im thinking that the candidates for selection would be Every
Lawful Citizen)

And thus more likely to stop the violence.
Is that a risk worth taking?

Answer 1

It is possible that random selection would produce better leaders, but it is at least as likely, and probably more so, that it would produce worse leaders. There are few who are equipped to lead in any given population. While there is a strong argument that leaders currently in place in Iraq and elsewhere are not equipped to lead, there have been at least some qualities in those people that have helped them attain leadership positions. No such assurances would be available if the pool included "Every Lawful Citizen" - to say nothing of the headache involved in defining "lawful" for these purposes.

I do think there ought to be a way to identify more potential leaders from whom to choose. Qualities of leadership are probably stronger in some who do not choose to immediately suggest themselves as leaders than they are in those currently leading - again, both in Iraq and elsewhere. The risk of having someone wholly unable to lead, though, is not worth making selection of leaders completely random.

Answer 2

Govern your country with integrity,
Weapons of war can be used with great cunning,
but loyalty is only won by not-doing.
How do I know the way things are?
By these:

The more prohibitions you make,
the poorer people will be.
The more weapons you posses,
the greater the chaos in your country.
The more knowledge that is acquired,
the stranger the world will become.
The more laws that you make,
the greater the number of criminals.

Therefore the Master says:
I do nothing,
and people become good by themselves.
I seek peace,
and people take care of their own problems.
I do not meddle in their personal lives,
and the people become prosperous.
I let go of all my desires,
and the people return to the Uncarved Block.