collectivism
Americannoun
noun
-
the principle of ownership of the means of production, by the state or the people
-
a social system based on this principle
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of collectivism
1875–80; < French collectivisme; see collective, -ism
Explanation
Collectivism is a political theory associated with communism. More broadly, it is the idea that people should prioritize the good of society over the welfare of the individual. Collectivism — so closely related to the word collection — has to do with political theories that put the group before the individual. In a collectivist system, power should be in the hands of the people as a whole, not in the hands of a few powerful folks. Collectivism is the opposite of individualism. Ideally, in a collectivist society, decisions benefit all the people. This is a difficult idea to put into practice, as seen in the attempted collectivist society of Soviet communism.
Vocabulary lists containing collectivism
Novel Study: 1984, Part 2
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co-, col-, List 2
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co, col (with; together), List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden—This paragon of collectivism is pivoting toward rugged individualism.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
Within these communities exists an informal collectivism, an ebb and flow of residents, of families, of neighbors coming together at farmer’s markets, in city parks and common spaces, in a tacit recognition of shared values.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025
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
It is important to understand exactly what "collectivism" and "individualism" mean in these contexts.
From Salon • Oct. 4, 2021
In the new spirit of collectivism they had stepped in between the economically weak and the economically strong.
From A Short History of English Liberalism by Blease, Walter Lyon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
