Fwd: "narcocracy" - Word of the Day from the OED

[Dave Monroe]

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From: <oedwotd at oup.com>
Date: Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Subject: "narcocracy" - Word of the Day from the OED
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OED Online Word of the Day
________________________________

narcocracy, n.

DRAFT ENTRY Sept. 2009

Brit. /nkkrsi/, U.S. /nrkkrsi/  [< NARCO- comb. form + -CRACY comb.
form. Compare slightly earlier NARCOKLEPTOCRACY n.]

    1. A body of people responsible for the implementation of drug laws. rare.

1983 National Rev. (Nexis) 29 Apr. 492 The National Research Council
report of June 21, 1982..was promptly suppressed by the narcocracy
because it questions the efficacy of marijuana prohibition and
advocates complete decriminalization and the consideration of
legalization.

    2. An elite or dominant group of people whose wealth derives from
the trade in illegal drugs; a government or state dominated by such a
group. Cf. NARCOKLEPTOCRACY n.

1985 A. HENMAN in A. Henman et al. Big Deal v. 141 Informal narcocracy
would..come to mean a political system which..is governed by a legal
and ideological need to appear to be suppressing its principal
economic activity, the production of illicit drugs. 1987 Times 18 Dec
7/5 The temperature has hit 20°C in Palermo this week, causing
something of a problem for the wives of the new rich, the
‘narcocracy’,..itching to wear their fur coats. 1995 Arkansas
Democrat-Gaz. (Nexis) 18 July 7B, It's really disgusting... A complete
sellout to the narcocracy. 2000 Bangkok Post (Nexis) 10 Dec.,
Colombia, to be blunt, has been known as a narcocracy for a decade.

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