Ochlocracy (Greek: οχλοκρατια; Latin: ochlocratia) is government by mob or a mass of people, or the intimidation of constitutional authorities. In English, the word mobocracy is sometimes used as a synonym.

Terminology

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Ochlocracy is sometimes employed as a pejorative term for majoritarianism. Additionally, as a term in civics it implies that there is no formal authority whatsoever, not even a commonly-accepted view of anarchism, and so disputes are raised, contended and closed by brute force - might makes right, but only in a very local and temporary way, as another mob or another mood might just as easily sway a decision. It is often associated with demagoguery and the rule of passion over reason.

The term appears to have been coined by Polybius in his Histories (6.4.6) ^*. He uses it to name the 'pathological' version of popular rule in opposition to the 'good' version, which he refers to as democracy. There are numerous mentions of the word "ochlos" in the Talmud (where "ochlos" refers to anything from "mob," "populace" to "armed guard"), as well as in Rashi, a Jewish commentary on the Bible. The word is recorded in English since 1584, derived from the French ochlocratie (1568), which stems from the original Greek okhlokratia, from okhlos "mob" and kratos "rule, power, strength"

An ochlocrat is one who is an advocate or partisan of ochlocracy. It can also used as an adjective ochlocratic or ochlocratical.

More on [ Ochlocracy ]

Mob Rule - Twitter Search

Mob Rule! How Users Took Over Twitter | Magazine: Sin Descripción http://bit.ly/6EJFxS
twittes1 (twittes1) Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:52:46 -0000
Mob Rule! How Users Took Over Twitter | Magazine: Sin Descripción http://bit.ly/6EJFxS
Mob Rule! How Users Took Over Twitter | Magazine: Sin Descripción http://bit.ly/6EJFxS
twittes (twittes) Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:52:45 -0000
Mob Rule! How Users Took Over Twitter | Magazine: Sin Descripción http://bit.ly/6EJFxS
@mumoss seems fair. but I just don't get this belief that news will be edited by the crowd. mob rule, for that is what it is, is not pretty
diodesign (Chris Williams) Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:44:34 -0000
@mumoss seems fair. but I just don't get this belief that news will be edited by the crowd. mob rule, for that is what it is, is not pretty
A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.TJefferson
gregorborsic (Gregor Borsic) Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:16:13 -0000
A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.TJefferson
DS points out rule of commuter train to skate mob: no talking. Cousin's wife points out its a holiday. Discussion of Twilight ensues.
KnighterByter (Steve Knight) Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:14:23 -0000
DS points out rule of commuter train to skate mob: no talking. Cousin's wife points out its a holiday. Discussion of Twilight ensues.
A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.
VincentSales (Vincent Sales) Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:52:49 -0000
A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.

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