Loligarchy (lol + oligarchy)

“Loligarchy” or “LOLigarchy” (laugh out loud/LOL + oligarchy) is a government that is laughably run by a small number of powerful people or organizations. “Loligarchy” was entered in the Urban Dictionary on June 2, 2005, but its use was rare. “Glenn Beck’s LOLigarchy: An Embarrassment To All” is simply a 2009 YouTube video of Fox News host Glenn Beck misspelling the word “oligarchy” on his blackboard. “Loligarchy” was infrequently used in 2010 and 2011.
 
In April 2014, a Princeton University and Northwestern University study showed that the United States had become an oligarchy, with the average person lacking representation. David Moscrop, writing in the Ottawa (Ontario) Citizen on April 27, 2014, said:
 
“Given these shortcomings, we (Canada—ed.) can’t call ourselves a democracy — at least not on the terms presented here. By those measures we might be better off calling ourselves a liberal-oligarchy. Or a loligarchy, if we want to laugh about it.”
 
   
Wikipedia: Oligarchy
Oligarchy (from Greek ὀλιγαρχία (oligarkhía); from ὀλίγος (olígos), meaning “few”, and ἄρχω (arkho), meaning “to rule or to command”) is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a small number of people. These people could be distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, education, corporate, or military control. Such states are often controlled by a few prominent families who typically pass their influence from one generation to the next, but inheritance is not a necessary condition for the application of this term.
 
Throughout history, oligarchies have been tyrannical (relying on public obedience and/or oppression to exist) or relatively benign.
   
Urban Dictionary
loligarchy
A portmanteau of lol and oligarchy, similar to lollerskates and lolocaust in its usage and derivation.
Bob and his friends came into the chatroom and quickly instituted a loligarchy.
by Sidwood June 02, 2005
 
YouTube
Glenn Beck’s LOLigarchy: An Embarrassment To All
C0ct0pusPrime
Uploaded on Aug 29, 2009
Glenn Beck: king for a day, fool for a lifetime.
   
NewMatilda.com
26 May 2010
I Deplore Homophobia, But…
By Bob Dumpling
(...)
The NSW Premier is one example. She has made powerful statements supporting David Campbell, and even though his resignation has caused further problems for the LOLigarchy that is NSW Labor, Kristina Keneally delivered a heartfelt message highlighting her sympathy for someone “living a double life”
 
Twitter
Coaltopia
‏@Coaltopia
It seems we’re not past this yet: Parties point fingers over shelved climate scheme http://bit.ly/97YOKP #Loligarchy
2:12 AM - 13 Jun 2010
 
Twitter
Andrew Paladino
‏@FRDMwoEXCEPTION
Our government can best be classified as a LOLigarchy. http://tmblr.co/ZABxuwCO8JuF
12:21 AM - 25 Nov 2011
     
Ottawa (Ontario) Citizen
The democratic gap in Canada
BY DAVID MOSCROP, OTTAWA CITIZEN APRIL 27, 2014
In a report released earlier this month, researchers at the universities of Princeton and Northwestern concluded that the United States is an oligarchy — a country ruled by a small group of people. With its entrenched commitment to serving special interests, whose policy preferences teDavid Moscropnd not to align with those of the majority of Americans, the country that has so long purported to be a shining beacon of freedom has been empirically and substantively exposed as dimmer than advertised.
(...)
Given these shortcomings, we can’t call ourselves a democracy — at least not on the terms presented here. By those measures we might be better off calling ourselves a liberal-oligarchy. Or a loligarchy, if we want to laugh about it.
David Moscrop is a PhD candidate in the department of political science at the University of British Columbia. Twitter.com/David_Moscrop
 
Twitter
Nathan Allen
‏@nw_allen
@David_Moscrop So is a loligarchy a non-responsive democracy, or should we now define democracy itself based on responsiveness?
8:19 PM - 27 Apr 2014
 
Twitter
David Moscrop
‏@David_Moscrop
@nw_allen Actually, the “lol” thing was a gag; I was trying to point to the logical separation between liberal institutions and (1/2)
8:33 PM - 27 Apr 2014
 
Twitter
David Moscrop
‏@David_Moscrop
@nw_allen quality of responsiveness and representation. It boils down to us having strong lib rights, but ltd. dem purchasing power. (2/2)
8:34 PM - 27 Apr 2014