epistocracy

epistocracy

English

Alternative forms

• epistemocracy

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπιστήμη (epistḗmē, “knowledge”) + suffix -κρατία (-kratía), from κράτος (krátos, “power, rule”).

Noun

epistocracy (countable and uncountable, plural epistocracies)

1. (uncountable) Rule by citizens with political knowledge, or a proposed political system which concentrates political power in citizens according to their knowledge of public affairs, whether by distributing votes to citizens by their knowledge of political matters or some other means, as contrasted with democracy, in which the right to vote and political power are theoretically equally shared among all citizens.
   • 2016, "Can Epistocracy, or knowledge-based voting, fix the problems with democracy?" in Los Angeles Times:

     So maybe it’s time to consider an alternative to democracy called epistocracy. In a democracy, every citizen gets an equal right to vote. In an epistocracy, voting power is widespread, but votes are weighted: More knowledgeable citizens’ votes count more.

2. (countable) A government run by citizens with political knowledge.