[News Terms] A Stark Critique of the Impeachment Crisis, the Worst Governance 'Kakistocracy'

The UK's leading economic magazine, The Economist, has selected 'Kakistocracy' as the word of the year. It stated, "Donald Trump's return to the White House after a four-year absence has significant impacts everywhere," and explained the reason for the selection as "because it succinctly summarizes the fears of many around the world, including half of Americans."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Kakistocracy translates roughly to 'The rule of the worst.' It is a term combining the Greek adjective Kakos, meaning 'bad' or 'evil,' in its superlative form Kakisto, with 'Cracy,' meaning rule or governance.

The origin of this word is related to the 17th-century English Civil War and the Puritan Revolution. During the English Civil War, royalists used this term as the opposite of Aristocracy, when attacking the parliamentarians. Those who defined Aristocracy as cultured and dignified governance used it to criticize mob rule (politics led by a majority of foolish crowds), carrying a contemptuous meaning toward democracy. In modern times, it has become a political term criticizing regimes ruled by corrupt and incompetent worst individuals.

The cause of the English Civil War was taxation issues. In 1628, King Charles I of England clashed with parliamentarians when he tried to impose heavy taxes on the people to fund wars with neighboring countries. Parliament opposed forced taxation and submitted a Petition of Right to the king demanding citizens' liberties. Charles I initially made gestures of agreement but suddenly dissolved parliament in 1629 and arrested nine members.

President-elect Donald Trump [Photo by Akyung DB]

Charles I was a believer in the divine right of kings. The king's authority, given by God, was above the law. His disregard for parliament and dictatorship led to a catastrophic breakdown in relations. Eventually, in 1642, a war broke out between the royalist supporters of the king and the opposing parliamentarians. The unprecedented event of Charles I being beheaded after capture occurred at the war's end. Since Puritans were a major force among the parliamentarians, this is called the Puritan Revolution.

The nearly forgotten term Kakistocracy was revived in 2017 with the election of Donald Trump in the United States. On January 16, 2017, four days before the inauguration of Trump's first administration, Paul Krugman, Nobel laureate in economics and professor at the City University of New York, criticized in a New York Times column, "Trump fiercely attacks and threatens everyone who criticizes him and refuses even to acknowledge that he lost the popular vote," calling it "American kakistocracy, rule by the worst."

On the 9th of last month, he mentioned Kakistocracy once again in his final column. Defining the U.S. situation about a month before the start of Trump's second administration as Kakistocracy, he predicted, "If we confront the kakistocracy emerging even at this moment, we will eventually find a way back to a better world."

YouTuber Kim Eo-jun answering at the plenary meeting of the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee [Photo by Yonhap News]

This term has gained even more prominence amid the 'impeachment political situation.' Concerns are growing about those who have failed to learn lessons from the history of impeachment and the political structure that has lost the trust of the people.