Plutocracy
/pluːˈtɑːkrəsi/
nounC2
Definition
Plutocracy means rule or control by the wealthy. In a plutocracy, rich people make important decisions and have more influence than others, often in government or business. It focuses on money as the main source of power.
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See It in Action
A government or system controlled by the wealthy
- •Many people worry that some countries are becoming plutocracies.
- •In a plutocracy, laws often favor the rich.
- •Critics say plutocracy limits opportunities for poor people.
A society where wealth decides power and influence
- •The city’s plutocracy meant only millionaires could buy important votes.
- •Plutocracy can increase the gap between rich and poor.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "plutocracy" like "government" (A1 word), but instead of everyone sharing power, only the richest people control things.
- ✓Picture a city where tall buildings belong to rich people, and they decide all the rules for everyone else.
- ✓It feels unfair when only money decides who leads, like a game where only players with the most points can play.
- ✓Sounds like "pluto-CRACY" → imagine Pluto the planet holding a crown, ruling over others because it is far and special.
- ✓In stories, kings or queens rule by birth, but in plutocracy, the "king" is the richest person, not the one born into power.
- ✓NOT like "democracy" (power by all people), plutocracy is power by a small rich group.
- ✓NOT like "oligarchy" (rule by a few people), plutocracy specifically means rule by rich people.
- ✓NOT like "aristocracy" (rule by noble families), plutocracy is about money, not family titles.
Try Other Words
- •Oligarchy: rule by a small group of people (Use when power is held by few, not necessarily rich)
- •Aristocracy: rule by noble families (Use when power comes from family titles, not money)
- •Moneyocracy: rule by money (Informal word emphasizing money’s role in power)
- •Elite rule: power by a small, powerful group (Use when emphasizing influence, not just wealth)
Unboxing
- •Prefix "pluto-" comes from Greek "ploutos," meaning wealth or rich
- •Root "-cracy" means rule or government, from Greek "kratos"
- •First used in English in the early 19th century to describe societies ruled by the rich
- •Today, used to describe political or social systems where money controls power
Reflect & Connect
•How might a plutocracy affect the everyday life of people who are not rich?
•Can a country be both a democracy and a plutocracy at the same time? How?
Fill in the blanks
1.In a plutocracy, power is mainly held by people who have ___ wealth and money.
2.Unlike democracy, plutocracy does not give equal ___ to all citizens.
3.When a government acts like a plutocracy, laws often ___ the interests of rich people.
4.The word plutocracy sounds like it has "pluto" in it, which helps us remember it is about ___.
5.Some people say that plutocracy ___ social inequality by giving rich people more control.
6.Plutocracy is different from oligarchy because oligarchy means rule by ___ people, not always rich.
7.If a country is a plutocracy, we can often see that money ___ political decisions.