ochlocrat

English

Etymology

From ochlo- (“mob”) +‎ -o- +‎ -crat (“supporter of rule thereby”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɒkləkɹæt/

Noun

ochlocrat (plural ochlocrats)

1. An adherent of the principle of ochlocracy; an advocate of mob rule.
   • 1897: Gilbert Murray, M.A., A history of ancient Greek literature, page 338 (D. Appleton and Company)

     But Lysias was an unabashed ‘ ochlocrat.’ He was at this time poor, and his citizenship was shown to be illegal almost as soon as it was granted.

   • 1993, Jorge Amado, translated by Gregory Rabassa, The War of the Saints, Bantam Books, →ISBN, page 117, →ISBN:

     “You, Father, are an ochlocrat. No heresy in our time is more noxious than trying to implant ochlocracy in the Church. And that’s what you’re trying to do.”

   • 2006, Heinrich August Winkler, translated by Alexander Sager, Germany: The Long Road West, 1789–1933, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 59, →ISBN:

     ‘The people are as holy as the mob is unholy. A democract is one who wants government for the people and by the people. Someone who wants mob rule is called an “ochlocrat”.’ [from ochlos, Greek for ‘mass’, ‘mob’ (h.a.w.)] The three estates, the nobility, peasantry, and bourgeoisie, must have advisory and co-determinative political power in all issues and requirements of the country; the princes are to exercise executive authority ‘within boundaries established by the general laws of Germany’.³¹

Derived terms

• ochlocratic
• ochlocratical
• ochlocratically

Related terms

• -crat
• ochlo-
• ochlagogue
• ochlagogy
• ochlocracy

Anagrams

• colcothar