Every so often, you come across a word that is perfect in every way.

I am a big fan of the word ‘enunciation’, because it makes you perform the meaning of the word whilst saying it, but it cannot match the sheer splendour of our word of the day.

At first glance, ‘kakistocracy’ looks like something a South African cooked up after a few drinks, during a whinge about our politicians.

Well, believe it or not, that’s really not far from the truth.

We go first to the Merriam-Webster dictionary for a definition:

kakistocracy – government by the worst people.

Yeah, there’s your Jacob Zuma connection.

For more meat on the bones, we go to the Oxford Online dictionary:

Government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state.

‘the danger is that this will reduce us to kakistocracy’.

Who would have thought that the word for being ruled by the worst of the worst would include the word ‘kak’? What a time to be alive.

Back to Merriam-Webster for a wee history lesson:

The word is pronounced \kak-uh-STAH-kruh-see\, and means “government by the worst people.” The plural form is kakistocracies.

Our earliest evidence for its use comes from 1644, when it was used by Paul Gosnold to warn about transforming “our well-temperd Monarchy into a mad kinde of Kakistocracy.” Following this the word had a period of relative inactivity, and reappeared in the early 19th century.

In the age of Trump, and here in South Africa Zuma and his cronies, the word has now come roaring back into fashion.

Just a little something to pull out when you’re looking to impress friends and family.

Use it wisely.

[source:merriamwebster&oxford]