Lumpen

I read this today in the WSJ in an article titled, "Democracies don't let people die" by Daniel Henninger - "Bureaucracies anywhere are lumpen, but in non-democracies their sloth can be lethal."

It was referring to Myanmar and China. Your chances of death after a natural disaster in a non-democracy go up significantly. The corruption and laziness found in dictatorships moves from obnoxious to deadly when you need life saving supplies and equipment. "In such places, after nature kills people, delay and incompetence kill the rest." Whereas in a democracy, incompetence on this scale will definitely land you your head. Makes George Bush's desire to export democracy seem a little more altruistic.

But I digress... In my endeavor not to let a word I don't know pass me by... I bring you "lumpen".

lum·pen
–adjective
1.
of or pertaining to disfranchised and uprooted individuals or groups, esp. those who have lost status: the lumpen bourgeoisie. –noun
2.
a lumpen individual or group.
3.
mentally sluggish

I suppose he means the third definition - "Bureaucracies anywhere are mentally sluggish..."