JF Ptak Science Books Post 2740
The other day former CIA director John Brennan (2013-2017) dug up the word kakistocracy from its dirt nap to describe the Trump government. I had never heard of the word before, and so went to the Oxford English Dictionary to look it up. While there, I wondered how many other “-ocracies” and “-cracies” there were that have fallen completely off the RADAR, and it seems there are a lot—just about enough for a full alphabet, with dozens of “extras”. (See https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2016/07/18/words-ending-with-cracy/ for a 60-word list, a longer list with shorter descriptions.)
Adhocracy. “A flexible and informal style of organization and management, characterized by a lack of bureaucracy. Also (depreciative): bureaucracy characterized by inconsistency and lack of planning.” 1970. A. Toffler Future Shock vii. 113 We are..witnessing the arrival of a new organizational system that will increasingly challenge, and ultimately supplant bureaucracy. This is the organization of the future. I call it ‘Ad-hocracy’.
Androcacy. “The rule or paramount influence of money.” 1868 Pall Mall Gaz. 23 May 11. The disease of argentocracy.”
Angelocracy. “A government by angels. 1685 J. Scott Christian Life (1700) II. ii. vii. 320. Those angelocracies or angelical governments of countries and nations.”
Barbarocracy. “Government or rule by barbarians, as that of Italy by the German emperors. 1866. C. C. Felton Greece, Anc. & Mod. II. xi. 486 Better fitted to live under a constitution than under a barbarocracy.”
Bestiocracy. “The rule of beasts. 1863 Times 21 Nov. 8/5. The English farmers, being..members of a vile bestiocracy, living among the beasts of the field, and even employing men to serve the beasts.”
Chrysocracy/ chryso-ariˈstocracy. “An aristocracy of wealth. [Is there an aristocracy of poverty? I guess so…i.e. Tramp Kings, that sort/] 1885. E. C. Stedman in Cent. Mag. 29 511. Even our ‘chryso-aristocracy’ he thinks is bettered by the process.”
Demonocracy. “Government or rule by demons; a ruling body of demons. Now chiefly in extended use (with punning contrast with democracy) referring to cruel or wicked political regimes . 1755, J. Maud Doctr. Endless Torments i. v. 83. The House of Cain..may..not improperly be said to have put itself under a Demonocracy, where the implacable Adversary to God and Man, was the limited Tyrant.”