Ochlocracy: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Ochlocracy noun. Mob rule: government by an angry crowd rather than by law or elected representatives.
How to say it
ok-LOK-ruh-see/ɒkˈlɒkrəsi/
4 syllables, stressed on the second (LOK).
Ochlocracy in a sentence
Ancient writers feared that democracy, left unchecked, would decay into ochlocracy.
The online pile-on felt like ochlocracy, the loudest voices deciding the verdict.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- mob rule
- mobocracy
- anarchy
Opposite:
- rule of law
Where ochlocracy comes from
From Greek okhlokratia, from okhlos, a crowd or mob, and kratos, power.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The online pile-on felt like _____, the loudest voices deciding the verdict.
- kakistocracy
- ochlocracy
- satrap
Show the answer
ochlocracy: The online pile-on felt like ochlocracy, the loudest voices deciding the verdict.