The lottery is a form of gambling that involves drawing lots for prizes, such as money or goods. Lotteries have been around since ancient times and are recorded in the Bible and other ancient texts. Modern lotteries are generally run by governments or state-licensed private companies. They are often used to fund public projects, such as roads and schools. Some people play the lottery regularly, while others only play occasionally or not at all.
In the United States, state-run lotteries are legalized in 29 states. According to a national survey, about 17 percent of Americans say they play the lottery at least once a week. These are referred to as “frequent players.” Those who play less frequently—one to three times a month or less—are considered infrequent players. The majority of players are male, white, and middle-aged. They also tend to be high-school educated and have incomes in the upper middle class or higher.
Lotteries can be a useful tool for raising funds, but they have also been tangled up in other problems. In early America, lotteries were often a means to finance civil defense or other government needs, as well as a way for private groups to raise money for churches, colleges, and townships. In some cases, enslaved people bought their freedom through a lottery. The practice of using lots to determine ownership or other rights is also attested to in the Bible and other ancient texts.
Despite these moral objections, by the late twentieth century, many states had adopted state-run lotteries, which were hailed as a painless alternative to taxation. Lotteries allowed governments to expand their services without incurring the onerous taxes imposed on the middle and working classes.
As a result, the lottery grew in popularity throughout the country. By the 1980s, states were reducing their taxes by an average of sixty-four percent. The decline in taxes allowed them to reduce the size of government and improve social safety nets. This shift shifted the political calculus of those who supported state-run lotteries. Many white voters, Cohen writes, approved them because they thought that state-run gambling would primarily attract Black numbers players and help pay for government services that those voters wouldn’t want to support with their own taxes.
This story shows how a tradition can blind us to our own misdeeds. The villagers in this story are aware that their actions are wrong, but they choose to continue with them anyway. Jackson depicts this behavior in a lighthearted manner, suggesting that human evil is present in the most innocent of ways. The events in the story show that the villagers are hypocritical and cruel. They greet each other with kindness and exchange bits of gossip, but they are capable of mistreating one another. The fact that the lottery continues to happen even after these atrocities suggests how strong and ruthless traditions can be. In this regard, the story condemns humankind’s hypocrisy and evil nature.