One of the great strengths of Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery,” is that it takes readers on a whirlwind journey with an unexpected ending. She is able to do this by using a variety of techniques such as foreshadowing, imagery, and the theme of tradition. She is also able to portray the absurdity of human evilness in the story by having a seemingly normal community commit horrible crimes against one another.
The first lottery records date back to the early Roman Empire, when lottery games were held at public dinners as a way of giving out gifts to guests. These gifts were often fancy items such as dinnerware or other household goods, but they could also be cash prizes. In the later part of the century, public lotteries began to be used in Europe for many purposes including raising money for town fortifications and helping the poor. Some of these were state-run, while others were private lotteries organized by licensed promoters who paid for the privilege of selling tickets.
In the modern era, state-sponsored lotteries have become a major source of revenue for states. One of the main arguments for their adoption is that they are a source of “painless” tax revenues: that is, players voluntarily spend their money on a chance to win a prize that benefits the public good. This argument is particularly effective in times of economic stress, when the general public fears taxes will increase or public services may be cut.
However, studies have shown that state governments quickly develop a dependency on these revenues, and that they are not necessarily linked to a state’s actual fiscal health. In addition, state officials are often pressured to raise the size of the jackpots in order to maintain their popularity.
A final concern is that state-sponsored lotteries have a tendency to subsidize certain interest groups at the expense of others. These include convenience store owners, which receive substantial advertising discounts; lottery suppliers (who frequently donate to state political campaigns); teachers, in states where lottery profits are earmarked for education; and state legislators who become accustomed to the extra funds they can generate through the lottery.
Despite these concerns, there are still strong public support for state-sponsored lotteries. In an anti-tax era, state governments have come to depend on “painless” lottery revenues, and legislators and voters seem unwilling to reduce their levels of participation. As such, it seems likely that lotteries will continue to play a role in the economy, and that they will remain popular in the United States. The question is, how can they be regulated in ways that minimize their negative effects on poor people and problem gamblers? The answer will require a combination of public policy interventions at the state, national, and international level.