Tradition in “The Lottery” There are many things that people do every day without thinking about why they do them. These are our habits and traditions, and while for the most part they are unimportant, they can be a crucial part of our culture and our interactions with each other. Sometimes there are traditions that can harm or are morally unacceptable. What should be done in this case? Edmund Burke, a 19th-century politician and author, argued that it is better to stick to tradition than to bring about radical changes in people's behavior. This is a key part of his argument against the French Revolution in his essay “Reflections on the Revolution in France.” In this essay, he argues that revolution will only lead to chaos as rebels fight against traditional government and social practices. It would be better for everyone if the tradition was maintained. Cass Sunstein is an American legal scholar who writes on various political and ethical issues. He argues against blindly following tradition in “Against Tradition,” a chapter in his book “Designing Democracy: What Constitutions Do.” Much of his argument centers on interpreting the U.S. Constitution based on traditions, but many of the examples he gives can easily be applied to other situations regarding tradition and change. Sunstein uses examples of traditions, such as slavery or the mistreatment of women, to illustrate cases where tradition was wrong and change was beneficial for everyone involved. In the short story “The Lottery”, everyone will be able to find examples of behaviors and thought processes that correspond to their own beliefs. “The Lottery” is a short story written by Shirley Jackson. The story begins with the residents of a small town gathering... in the middle of a paper... about the lottery, Burke and Sunstein would both have supporters among the townspeople, and each would able to find evidence. to defend their position on tradition. The story is an intriguing look at several complex issues, and there are no easy answers to many of the questions it poses. Works Cited Burke, Edmund. “Reflections on the Revolution in France.” Reflections on the Revolution in France. New Haven, CT: Yale UP, 2003. EBrary. Internet. April 20, 2011.Jackson, Shirley. “The Lottery”. The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. New York: WW Norton, 2006. Print. O'Hear, Anthony. “Tradition and traditionalism”. Routledge Concise Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Florence, KY: Routledge, 2000. EBrary. Internet. April 14, 2011. Sunstein, Cass R. “Against Tradition.” Designing democracy: what constitutions do. Cary, NC: Oxford UP, 2001. EBrary. Internet. April 15. 2011.