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The abacost, abbreviation for the French "à bas le costume" (literally "down with the suit"), was the distinctive wear for men that was promoted by Mobutu Sese Seko as part of his Zairianisation programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo, between 1972 and 1990. Zairians were banned from wearing suits with shirt and tie to symbolise the break with their colonial past. The abacost was a lightweight short-sleeved suit, worn without a tie, though sometimes with a cravat. Image File history File links Picture_Needed. ... Image File history File links Picture_Needed. ... Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa za Banga (October 14, 1930 – September 7, 1997), known commonly as Mobutu Sese Seko, born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) for 32 years (1965 – 1997). ... Motto: (French for Justice - Peace - Work) Anthem(s): Capital Kinshasa Largest city Kinshasa Official language(s) French (Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili, Tshiluba are national languages) Government Republic  - President Mobutu Sese Seko Independence From Belgium   - Date June 30, 1960  Area  - Total 2,345,410 km² (12th) 905,567 sq mi   - Water (%) 3. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... This article is about the year. ... Suits from the 1937 Chicago Woolen Mills catalog A suit, with varieties such as a business suit, three-piece suit, lounge suit or two-piece suit, a collection of matching clothing comprising: A coat (commonly known as a jacket) A pair of trousers (USA pants), a skirt for women. ... Business shirt A shirt is a piece of clothing for the trunk of the body. ... This article or section may contain external links added only to promote a website, product, or service – otherwise known as spam. ... Modern neckties, shown here tied as if they were on a person, may be found in a plethora of colours and designs. ...

However, the abacost was seen as the uniform of Mobutu's supporters, especially those who had benefited from his kleptocratic regime, and it fell out of favour after his departure. Kleptocracy (sometimes Cleptocracy) (root: Klepto+cracy = rule by thieves) is a pejorative, informal term for a government so corrupt that no pretense of honesty remains. ...

See also

• Mao suit
• Nehru jacket

Zhongshan suit The Mao suit, also known as Chinese tunic suit or tunic suit, is the western name for the style of male attire known in China as the Zhongshan suit (Traditional Chinese: 中山裝; Simplified Chinese: 中山装; pinyin: Zhōngshān zhuāng, or Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhōngshān fú); named after... The Nehru jacket is an article of clothing that originates in India and became popular in the West in the 1960s. ...

External links

• Library of Congress; Glossary, Zaire