ptochocracy
English
Etymology
From Ancient Greek πτωχός (ptōkhós, “poverty”) + κράτος (krátos, “power, might”).
Pronunciation
- (US) IPA(key): /toʊˈkɑkɹəsi/
Noun
ptochocracy (plural ptochocracies)
- A society or a system ruled and dominated by the poor.
Quotations
- 1774 - James Burgh Political Disquisition
- Here we see ... two persons, the lord of the pitiful town of Newton, in the isle of Wight, and him of Old Sarum, Wiltshire, where there is not a house, send in as many members as the inestimable wealth of the city of London, in which the livery, who are the legal electors are 8,000; and the persons who ought to have votes are probably 30,000 and upwards. Here two individuals have equal weight in the state with 30,000!
- ... The British government, therefore, taking it according to its avowed state, is neither absolute monarchy nor limited monarchy, nor aristocracy, nor democracy, nor a mixture of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy; by may be called a ptochocracy (the reader will pardon a new word) or government of beggars. For a few beggarly boroughs [that is, economocally deprived; many of their voters receiving alms and therefore being influenced by those on whom they depend] do avowedly elect the most important part of the government, the part which commands the purse.
Antonyms
- (1): plutocracy