Definition

1. Noun:
   • A system of governance or management in which decision-making authority is vested in technical experts and scientists, based on their specialized knowledge and skills, rather than in elected officials or traditional political leaders. It is the rule or control by technical experts.

Usage

• Technocracy is an uncountable noun. It refers to the concept or system as a whole.
• It is often used in political science, sociology, and discussions about governance.
• It can carry a neutral, positive, or critical connotation depending on context. Positively, it suggests efficient, rational rule by experts. Critically, it can imply a cold, undemocratic system that disregards human values and public opinion.

Examples

• The proposal to hand economic policy over to a committee of economists was criticized as a move toward technocracy.
• Some argue that complex modern problems require a form of technocracy to ensure decisions are based on evidence.
• The country was effectively run as a technocracy, with engineers and scientists holding most key government positions.

Advanced Usage

• "The rise of technocracy": Refers to the increasing influence of technical experts in political and economic decision-making.
  • The rise of technocracy has led to debates about the role of democracy in the digital age.
• "Technocratic governance/management": Describes a style of governing or managing that is characteristic of a technocracy.
  • The new administration promised a more technocratic approach to infrastructure projects.

Variants and Related Words

• Technocrat (noun): A person who exercises power or influence within a technocracy; an advocate or practitioner of government by technical experts.
  • The finance minister was a trained economist and a known technocrat.
• Technocratic (adjective): Relating to or characteristic of a technocracy or technocrats.
  • Their solution was purely technocratic, ignoring the social implications.

Synonyms

• Expert rule
• Meritocracy (specifically based on technical skill and knowledge)

Related Concepts and Phrases

• "Rule by experts": A descriptive phrase synonymous with technocracy.
• "Evidence-based policy": A key ideal often associated with technocratic thinking, though not exclusive to it.
• "Bureaucracy": While a bureaucracy is a system of administration, a technocracy is a specific type where the bureaucrats are technical experts.

Noun

1. a form of government in which scientists and technical experts are in control
   • technocracy was described as that society in which those who govern justify themselves by appeal to technical experts who justify themselves by appeal to scientific forms of knowledge