kludgeocracy

K5L1U1D2G2E1O1C3R1A1C3Y4
UK/klʌd͡ʒˈɒ.kɹə.si/UK/kluːd͡ʒ-/US/klʌd͡ʒˈɑ.kɹə.si/US/klud͡ʒ-/

noun

A government characterized by complex, inefficient, and ad-hoc solutions to problems.

First used December 2012Scrabble 25

Meanings

nounkludgeocracy (countable and uncountable, plural kludgeocracies)

plural kludgeocracies

  1. countableinformaluncommonuncountableA government characterized by complex, inefficient, and ad-hoc solutions to problems.First known use December 2012

    Teles suggests that our kludgeocracies be scrubbed clean of regulatory language that obscures rather than enlightens.

    2014 April 20, John Sweeney, “Fixes: Too many cooks spoil the soup and too many chiefs spoil the schools”, in Sunday News Journal, 39th year, number 16, Wilmington, Del., page A16, column 4
    4 more examples

    Neither party is immune from the costs of policy complexity: the interests of both liberals and conservatives are ill-served by kludgeocracy.

    2012 December 29, Steven M. Teles, “Kludgeocracy: The American Way of Policy”, in New America Foundation, archived from the original on 15 Jul 2024

    Despite the complexity and hidden difficulties in our “kludgeocracy,” much can be achieved. By adopting the best principles and practices to be learned from great leaders, today’s public sector leaders can themselves do great work and make great contributions to the nation.

    2016, Ronald R. Sims, William I. Sauser, Sheri K. Bias, editors, Transforming Government Organizations: Fresh Ideas and Examples from the Field, Information Age Publishing, page 193

    Mike Lind may not agree with much of what is in this book, but his support for Steve's writing on kludgeocracy is a major influence on this book’s argument.

    2017, Brink Lindsey, Steven M. Teles, The Captured Economy: How the Powerful Enrich Themselves, Slow Down Growth, and Increase Inequality, Oxford University Press, page 7

    The institutional separation in Unites States between executive and legislature is also accused of emergence of “kludgeocracy,” but the phenomenon is equally true in administrative practices of developing nations like India.

    2023, Ranvijay Upadhyay, Ethics Integrity And Aptitude in Governance, S. Chand Publishing, page 113

Origin

From kludge + -ocracy. Coined by Steven M. Teles in 2012.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with kludgeocracy

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Cite this entry
APA

kludgeocracy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kludgeocracy

MLA

“kludgeocracy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kludgeocracy. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kludgeocracy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kludgeocracy.

Source: kludgeocracy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.