ergatocracy

Definition

Noun (uncountable):
A system of government or social organization in which power is held by the working class or laborers.

Usage Examples
  • The revolution aimed to establish an ergatocracy, where factory workers would control the state.
    (A government run by the working class, not by elites or landowners.)

  • In theory, ergatocracy promises equality, but in practice it can lead to bureaucracy.
    (The rule of laborers, as opposed to aristocracy or technocracy.)

Advanced Usage
  • "Ergatocracy vs. democracy": While democracy involves rule by all citizens, ergatocracy specifically emphasizes the dominance of workers.

    • Some political theorists argue that ergatocracy is a more radical form of participatory governance. (A system prioritizing labor over other social classes.)
  • "Industrial ergatocracy": A historical context where industrial workers gained political power.

    • The early Soviet Union experimented with a form of ergatocracy through workers' councils. (A government based on labor unions and factory committees.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Ergatocrat (noun): a supporter or advocate of ergatocracy.

    • The ergatocrat argued that only manual laborers should hold political office. (A person who believes in worker-led government.)
  • Ergatocratic (adjective): relating to or characteristic of ergatocracy.

    • The ergatocratic system replaced the old monarchic structure. (Pertaining to rule by workers.)
Synonyms
  • Worker's state: a government controlled by the proletariat.
  • Laborocracy: rule by the laboring class (a less common synonym).
  • Proletarian dictatorship: a Marxist term for the temporary rule of the working class.
Related Idioms
  • "Power to the workers": a slogan supporting ergatocracy.

    • The protesters chanted "Power to the workers," demanding an ergatocracy. (A call for worker-led governance.)
  • "Rule of the many hands": a poetic phrase for ergatocracy.

    • In this ergatocracy, every factory had a say in national decisions — a true rule of the many hands. (A metaphor for collective labor control.)