Megalocracy in America

Kerry Howley | October 31, 2007

The Onion catches up with some innovators at the Cato Institute:

WASHINGTON, DC—Political scientists at the Cato Institute announced Monday that they have inadvertently synthesized a previously theoretical form of government known as megalocracy.

“We were attempting to recreate a military junta in a controlled diplomatic setting, and we applied too much external pressure,” said head researcher Dr. Adam Stogsdill, a leading expert in highly reactionary ruling systems. “The resultant government has the ruthless qualities of a dictatorship combined with the class solidarity of a plutocracy—it’s quite a remarkable find.”

Stogsdill explained that megalocracy is extremely unstable and can only exist in idealistic conditions for a few minutes before collapsing into anarchy.

Will Wilkinson has more on Stogdill's discovery. And here's Greg Beato on why The Onion is our most intelligent newspaper.

Comments

|10.31.07 @ 1:30PM|#

Stogsdill explained that megalocracy is extremely unstable and can only exist in idealistic conditions for a few minutes before collapsing into anarchy.

This element seems to have a much longer life outside of the laboratory.

TLB|10.31.07 @ 1:42PM|#

Meanwhile, here's something closer to home. A satire I wrote - and emailed to Reason - was followed by a similar idea being presented non-satirically in the pages of... Reason. At least, unlike me, Wilkinson didn't go into the details of the "passage".

|10.31.07 @ 1:59PM|#

TLB, In the name of all that is right and good, go away! Scat! Vamoose! Get lost! Take a hike! Skedaddle! Take a long walk on a short pier!

The preceding was brought to you by The United Gilmore Alliance to Drive LoneWacko Away From Hit&Run By Any Means Necessary (TUGATDLWAFH&RBAMN).

VM|10.31.07 @ 3:16PM|#

*imagines a world where LoneWackJob was a florist named Myrna who is married to Jose, the town scamp. The adventures this mismatched couple would have is enough for at least three seasons of prime time, family fun!*

|10.31.07 @ 4:58PM|#

"The resultant government has the ruthless qualities of a dictatorship combined with the class solidarity of a plutocracy-it's quite a remarkable find."

In other words, it's like Singapore.