오명신

Why I collected this word

We are living in a democratic world. But democracy was once called 'the worst government' kakistocracy. I thought it would be meaningful to reflect on our political system and find out whether it actually is 'the worst government'.

01 Origin

Greek · kakistos · kakistos(worst) + cracy(rule or government by) · government by the worst element of a society — It was a new word made artificially in the 19th century. It means the opposite of aristocracy. It was firstly used in a sermon to criticize republicans.

• https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kakistocracy

02 Change & Context

• 1644 the worst government (republic/democratic government) — “transforming… our well-temperd Monarchy into a mad kinde of Kakistocracy. Good Lord!” - Paul Gosnold Back in the 17th century, Monarchy was considered the best political system. To conservatives, republic government seemed to cause only chaos. So this pastor, probably very conservative, called it 'the worst government', kakistocracy. (https://simanaitissays.com/2018/07/27/entymology-kakistocracy-kleptocracy/)
• 1872 the worst government (dictatorship) — “Is ours a government of the people, by the people, for the people, or a Kakistocracy rather, for the benefit of knaves at the cost of fools?” - James Russell Lowell About 200 years later, people's perceptions were completely flipped. Now the word was not against Democracy, but on dictatorship such as a Monarchy. (https://simanaitissays.com/2018/07/27/entymology-kakistocracy-kleptocracy/)

03 Network

• aristocracy Kakistocracy was first used as an antonym of aristocracy. (https://www.etymonline.com/word/kakistocracy)
• Kleptocracy Also used commonly to criticize governments. In modern examples, used by the critics of Trump. (https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/kakistocracy-a-374-year-old-word-for-government-by-the-worst-broke-the-dictionary/)
• meritocracy meritocracy means "a system, organization, or society in which people are chosen and moved into positions of success, power, and influence on the basis of their demonstrated abilities and merit"(Merriam-Webster). While kakistocracy means a rule by the worst people, meritocracy means the opposite. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kakistocracy)
• democracy the word kakistocracy was first used to criticize democratic government, as educated people back then thought that the Monarchy was the best political system possible. (https://simanaitissays.com/2018/07/27/entymology-kakistocracy-kleptocracy/)
• autocracy as time passed, we have become to think Democracy as the best governing method. So the word kakistocracy changed its opponent, to autocracy. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kakistocracy)

04 Voices

• teakhoon Idk

05 Reflection

The word would just mean "the worst government". It has a deep historical background. And also deeply connected to our modern day political system.