Alphabetocracy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alphabetocracy is either a government in which individuals are placed in positions of leadership based on the alphabetical position of their names or a government which has become laden with a large number of bureaucracies which are referred to by their acronym (which, to a lay observer, can be confusing).

[edit] Numerous Government Agencies with Acronym Titles

Oftentimes governmental agencies are referred to by a long, official title and by a shorter acronym. When agencies proliferate and these acronyms become the standard tool for referring to the organizations, the original meanings of the acronyms can be lost to the general population. Eventually this sort of disconnect between the ruled and rulers and lead to resent of the perceived number of agencies referred to simply by a series of letters who have control over individuals' lives. This state has been referred to as an alphabetocracy.

[edit] Leadership Based on Spelling of Name

In some electoral systems, candidates are listed on ballots alphabetically by their last names. In such systems, there is a tendency for those candidates appearing first (due to their names starting with a letter closer to the beginning of the alphabet), to perform better in elections.[1] Over time, this sort of electoral system will result in a leadership body based more and more on people whose last names appear first alphabetically.