plutocracy

[ ploo-tok-ruh-see ]

noun

, plural plu·toc·ra·cies.

1. the rule or power of wealth or of the wealthy.
2. a government or state in which the wealthy class rules.
3. a class or group ruling, or exercising power or influence, by virtue of its wealth.

plutocracy

/ ˌpluːtəˈkrætɪk; pluːˈtɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. the rule or control of society by the wealthy
2. a state or government characterized by the rule of the wealthy
3. a class that exercises power by virtue of its wealth

plutocracy

1. Government by the rich. The term is usually one of reproach.

Derived Forms

• ˌplutoˈcratically, adverb
• plutocratic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plutocracy¹

1645–55; < Greek ploutokratía, equivalent to ploûto ( s ) wealth + -kratia -cracy

Word History and Origins

Origin of plutocracy¹

C17: from Greek ploutokratia government by the rich, from ploutos wealth + -kratia rule, power

Example Sentences

From the stands high above the race track in Jeddah last weekend, racing fan Sarhan did not see a plutocracy.

From Time

In the large cities the urbanized working class were slaves to a plutocracy.

From The Daily Beast

American politics has ceased to function as a rising democracy and come to resemble an emerging plutocracy.

From The Daily Beast

Instead, at this pace Smith brings the reader right around to the conflicts of Soviet old, but mutated thanks to added plutocracy.

From The Daily Beast

The apologists for plutocracy are content this week to use anti-racism as their debating tool.

From The Daily Beast

(p. 76) In the realm of politics, however, plutocracy can buy itself more substantial rewards.

From The Daily Beast

Thus the descendants of the feudal aristocracy were pushed aside by the modern plutocracy.

From Project Gutenberg

Because the danger of plutocracy forced itself on the people.

From Project Gutenberg

The American plutocracy has developed upon a superstructure of Puritanism, and therefore, in America, hypocrisy is necessary.

From Project Gutenberg

She wants to make me the stepping-stone to social success; she sighs for the purple penetralia of the plutocracy.

From Project Gutenberg

Have we not seen the democratic form of government lend itself to ill-concealed plutocracy in Europe and America?

From Project Gutenberg

More About Plutocracy

What does plutocracy mean?

Plutocracy is a term for a government in which wealthy people use their wealth to rule.

This can mean that wealthy people are the actual leaders, or that they influence or control the decisions that the leaders make. Plutocracy is never used as an official term for a form of government (like democracy is, for example)—it’s almost always applied as a criticism of such situations. It is frequently used as a way of pointing out inequality and the powerful influence of the wealthy in politics and government.

A country that is thought to have a plutocratic government can also be referred to as a plutocracy, as in Many outsiders saw the nation as an oppressive plutocracy. 

Plutocracy can also refer to the power that this kind of wealth can allow, as in His latest column explains his belief that the government has been corrupted by plutocracy. 

It can also refer to the wealthy class that is using wealth to rule, as in The businessman was accused of being a member of the plutocracy. 

A wealthy person who rules or influences leaders in a plutocracy can be called a plutocrat.

Example: Average citizens are angry because they believe billionaires have turned the government into a plutocracy to benefit themselves.

Where does plutocracy come from?

The first records of the word plutocracy come from around 1650. It comes from the Greek ploutokratía. The first part of the word comes from ploûto(s), meaning “wealth.” (The name of the god Pluto of Greek mythology—for whom the dwarf planet is named—comes from the related Greek Ploutōn, meaning “the rich one.”) The second part of the word comes from the Greek -kratia, which means “rule” or “power” and gives us the suffix -cracy, which is used in many terms for forms of government, such as democracy and bureaucracy.

In a plutocracy, rich people have the power. Plutocracy does not imply a specific political doctrine or philosophy. Instead, the term is often used to imply that such a system leads to corruption and oppression—no matter what the official form of government is or what the specific politics of its leaders are.

Plutocracy is often used alongside other critical terms for corrupt or unjust forms of government, such as oligarchy (a system in which power is held by a small group of people) and autocracy (a government in which one person has unlimited power).

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to plutocracy?

• plutocrat (noun)
• plutocratic (adjective)
• plutocratical (adjective)
• plutocratically (adverb)

What are some words that share a root or word element with plutocracy? 

• democracy
• autocracy
• bureaucracy
• theocracy
• kakistocracy
• mobocracy

What are some words that often get used in discussing plutocracy?

• wealth
• rich
• government
• power
• corruption
• big business
• bribery
• oppression
• poverty

How is plutocracy used in real life?

Plutocracy is almost always used in a critical way. It usually implies that such forms of government lead to corruption or the oppression of the poor.

Harvard-Yale is the Alien vs Predator of American plutocracy

— sarah jeong (@sarahjeong) November 22, 2014

You know you live in a plutocracy and not a democracy when people get a day off to shop and not a day off to vote. #BlackFriday

— 🎃 Josh Scaryar 👻 (@JShahryar) November 27, 2014

The press will need to learn to stand together or fall separately. They will be the first line of defense against Russia-style plutocracy.

— Andy Kostrub (@AndrewKostrub) January 12, 2017

Try using plutocracy!

True or False?

A plutocracy is a system in which power is held by religious leaders.