ochlocrat

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A supporter or advocate of ochlocracy: "ochlocrat" refers to a person who advocates for or supports rule by the masses, especially in a manner that leads to mob rule or disorderly government.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The politician was accused of being an ochlocrat, encouraging public unrest to gain power. (A person who supports mob rule.)
  • Historians describe the revolutionary leader as an ochlocrat who exploited popular outrage. (An advocate of government by the masses, often with negative connotations.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ochlocrat in theory": a person who supports mob rule as a political philosophy.

  • Although he claimed to be a democrat, his speeches revealed him as an ochlocrat in theory. (He advocated for rule by the masses, even if chaotic.)

• "Ochlocrat in practice": someone who actively incites mob behavior.

  • The demagogue was an ochlocrat in practice, using rallies to stir up disorder. (He engaged in actions that led to mob rule.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ochlocracy (n): government by the mob; mob rule.

  • The fall of the republic was followed by a period of ochlocracy. (Rule by a disorderly crowd.)

• Ochlocratic (adj): relating to or characteristic of ochlocracy or an ochlocrat.

  • The ochlocratic tendencies of the regime alarmed the elite. (Features of mob rule.)

Synonyms

• Demagogue: a political leader who appeals to popular desires and prejudices, often inciting mob behavior.
• Populist: a person who claims to represent the interests of ordinary people, sometimes in a way that leads to disorder.

Related Idioms

• Rule by the mob: a situation where a disorderly crowd controls government.

  • The revolution quickly descended into rule by the mob. (Ochlocracy took over.)

• Mob mentality: the tendency of individuals to follow the behavior of a crowd.

  • The ochlocrat exploited mob mentality to achieve his goals. (He used group psychology to incite disorder.)