technocracy

American  

[tek-nok-ruh-see] / tɛkˈnɒk rə si /

noun

technocracies plural

1. a theory and movement, prominent about 1932, advocating control of industrial resources, reform of financial institutions, and reorganization of the social system, based on the findings of technologists and engineers.

2. a system of government in which this theory is applied.

3. any application of this theory.

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technocracy British  

/ ˈtɛknəˌkræt, tɛkˈnɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. a theory or system of society according to which government is controlled by scientists, engineers, and other experts

2. a body of such experts

3. a state considered to be governed or organized according to these principles

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technocracy ¹ Cultural  

1. The control of government and society by people with technical skills, especially engineers.

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technocracy ² Cultural  

1. A type of society marked by the dominant role of people with specialized technical skills, particularly engineers.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• technocratic
  adjective
• technocrat
  noun

Inflected Forms

noun

• technocracies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of technocracy

First recorded in 1919; techno- + -cracy

Example Sentences

Not that we need much of a reminder, but we are presently backsliding into the future in a way that makes the technocracy Scott introduced in 1979 more plausible than ever.

From Salon • Aug. 5, 2025

Group three - the technocracy - should also be open to the ambassador's advances.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2025

Much of Muskism is descended from the technocracy movement that flourished in North America in the 1930s and that had as a leader Mr. Musk’s grandfather Joshua N. Haldeman, an ardent anti-communist.

From New York Times • Nov. 4, 2021

As Virginia Postrel described technocracy in her insightful 1998 book The Future and Its Enemies, “Technocrats are ‘for the future,’ but only if someone is in charge of making it turn out to plan.”

From Slate • Sep. 11, 2018

The future suggested in the labels technocracy, information age, and service society might capture some characteristics of today's world, but it is limited and limiting.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai