Apocracy is an uncommon term that exists to define an alteration of any topic. Apocracy is a word you can easily find anywhere. Popular dictionaries like Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionary did not list Apocracy in their words list. However, there are still few online dictionaries that have an exact definition of Apocracy. Still, the word Apocracy can be easy to understand just by getting clues from its word structure.
Contents
Contents
Term Origin
A site called Urban Dictionary has a definition for Apocracy. According to them, it is changing something to the point where it loses its original meaning. The person who made the word is still unknown. To find another plausible definition, you may take a look at its word structure. The first part of the word Apocracy is ‘Apo.’ ‘Apo’ is a Latin and Greek word that means ‘away from’ or ‘off.’ Now for the last part of the word Apocracy which is ‘cracy. (Klonopin) ’ ‘Cracy’ is a suffix used in words like democracy for example. It is associated with words like ‘rule’ or ‘govern.’ It also has a Greek origin from ‘krátos’ which means ‘rule’ and ‘strength.’ Now combining both definitions of ‘Apo’ and ‘cracy,’ you will get: ‘away from governance.’ So, in short, Apocracy can be associated with rebellion against a form of ruling or government.
Notable Examples
There are events in history where a group or groups of people made an effort to stay away from ruling or governance. A notable example is the famous French revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte led the revolution to overthrow the current rulers. The goal of the revolution is liberty, equality for all the citizens, and fraternity, which means mutual respect for all. There are also other examples of rebellion that made a significant impact in world history; the American revolution where Americans were against British colonizers, the Haitian revolution where slaves were against French colonizers, the Chinese revolution where the Qing dynasty has met its end and the Russian revolution where a coup happened to overthrow the Soviet government on the 17th of October, 1917.
With that said, remember that rebellion against a form of governance is just a single example of Apocracy. The definition of Apocracy can also be interpreted in other ways. Abandonment of a kingdom or governance can also be an example. There are people even today that are not willing to be ruled by anyone or anything. Thus, they stay away from a place that someone rules and choose to isolate themselves in an unknown place. There are also groups of people who perform this action, but most are unknown and choose not to disclose information about them, even their names.
Effects on Society
Apocracy has an impact on society, whether it is significant or not. If you talk about government rebellion as Apocracy, it certainly has a significant effect on society. Previously mentioned rebellions against types of governances are the primary examples. The influence of rebellion leaders is tremendous and can dictate a big part of the population to join their goals and actions. The way of how they live can also be affected.
The other form of Apocracy through governance abandonment can also affect society but on the group that left. If the government is oppressive and unfair, leaving them behind can impact their lives positively. Still, the oppressive and unfair type of government commonly guards the place where they rule and doesn’t allow anyone to leave at all. That’s why Apocracy through abandonment can turn into Apocracy through rebellion.
Prevention Made Against
The acts that Apocracy may produce can sometimes be a threat to a ruler’s eyes. That is why some rulers or governments made preventive measures against it to keep their authority strong. A strong example against it today is how North Korea is being ruled. Since North Korea’s severe governance has been established, almost no rebellions and abandonment have ever happened. In most parts of history, however, the rulers execute people who practice Apocracy. The reason behind this is to prevent crucial information from leaking out and being taken advantage of by their enemies.
Modern-day Practices
Apocracy has been a practice of humans even until today. It’s not just the governed who can perform an act of Apocracy, but also the ruler. A government leader that steps down from their position is an example of this. Recently, the prime minister of Estonia has stepped down over a corruption inquiry. It is a modern example of Apocracy. Another type of Apocracy that happens in modern times is the escape of Afghan citizens from the new form of governance from the Taliban group. And finally, there are isolated tribes like The Sentinelese who live on an isolated Island called North Sentinel. The tribe can be considered Apocracy practitioners because they’re away from rule or power.