collectivism

American  

[kuh-lek-tuh-viz-uhm] / kəˈlɛk təˌvɪz əm /

noun

1. the political principle of centralized social and economic control, especially of all means of production.

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collectivism British  

/ kəˈlɛktɪˌvɪzəm /

noun

1. the principle of ownership of the means of production, by the state or the people

2. a social system based on this principle

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Other Word Forms

• collectivist noun
• collectivistic adjective
• collectivistically adverb
• noncollectivistic adjective
• procollectivism noun
• procollectivist adjective
• procollectivistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of collectivism

1875–80; < French collectivisme; collective, -ism

Example Sentences

Comedians know they have nurtured our individuality complex by spotlighting members of the crowd, but consider re-embracing collectivism — it sure alleviates a whole lot of pressure, on both them and us.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2024

"In societies that value collectivism, such as in Iceland and Japan, these baths are not mere places for relaxation but also for building social connections," says Jabe Brown of Melbourne Functional Medicine.

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2023

Though it scores high, as a nation, on measures of cultural collectivism, China’s 1.4 billion people are more than just a single culture.

From Scientific American • Feb. 28, 2022

The message should be that staying home can save lives—and perhaps even just that little bit of altruism and collectivism could help us all get through this, together.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2020

Division of labor: and collectivism, 718; and co-operation, 42; and individualism, 718; and the moral code, 717-18; physiological, 26; in slavery, 677; and social solidarity, 714-18; and social types, 713-14.

From Introduction to the Science of Sociology by Park, Robert Ezra

Related Words

• socialism