A lottery is a form of gambling in which numbers are drawn to determine a prize. The word comes from the Middle Dutch Lottere, a calque on the Middle French Loterie “action of drawing lots,” but it is more commonly associated with the modern state-run games. Lotteries are often advertised as a way for the public to win large sums of money, and they have been popular since ancient times. In the United States, the first state lottery was held in 1859.
Despite the widespread popularity of the lottery, several important issues arise from its existence. One is the difficulty of managing an activity that is based on irrational behavior and relies on chance. The second issue is the reliance of states on a source of revenue that is insecure and subject to constant pressures for increased spending.
A third problem is that the lottery does not have a clear public purpose. Rather, it is a means for state governments to raise taxes without being perceived as doing so. This dynamic has created a situation in which voters and politicians each view the lottery as a source of “painless” revenues, while lottery officials feel that they must constantly expand to maintain their popularity and generate revenue.
Finally, Jackson’s story highlights the fact that people are easily manipulated by tradition. The villagers in the story are happy about the lottery, but even Tessie Hutchinson does not stand up for herself when it turns against her. This suggests that democracy does not always work and that people should be able to protest against unfair actions by authority figures or their fellow citizens.