-crat, -cracy, -cratic, -cratism, -cratically, -cracies

(Greek: a suffix; to govern, to rule; government, strength, power, might, authority)

Good laws derive from evil habits.

—Macrobius

Two characteristics of government are that it cannot do anything quickly, and that it never knows when to quit.

—Jeremy Thorpe
ochlotheocracy (s) (noun), ochlotheocracies (pl)
The rule of a "mob" or crowd of gods: It was interesting for Meg to find out that ochlotheocracy characteriszed a mass of people incited by a common religious cause, like the formation of the Iranian government of the 1980s.
oligocracy (s) (noun), oligocracies (pl)
A form of government where power effectively rests with a small elite segment of society as distinguished by royalty, wealth, family, military, or influence: Primarily in the United States, an oligocracy is a small clique of private citizens who exert a strong influence on a government.
pantisocracy (s) (noun), pantisocracies (pl)
A form of social organization in which all of the people are equal in rank and social position: Anette read about a pantisocracy being a kind of government where all the members ruled equally and was therefore quite utopian!
pantisocratic (adjective), more pantisocratic, most pantisocratic
Referring to a social organization termed pantisocracy: Nancy, a teenager, thought that a pantisocratic method would be great at home, and that would mean that all the members of the family (mother, father, sister, and brother) would have equal rights and be treated equally.
pantisocratist (s) (noun), pantisocratists (pl)
A supporter of the belief that everyone is an equal member of the government: The children in the family were pantisocratists who favored and supported the theory of pantisocracy, but not the parents!
papyrocracy (s) (noun), papyrocracies (pl)
A system in which power is held by the printed media: Susan read that a papyrocracy was a government controlled by newspapers, magazines, literature, etc. and thought that that was pretty weird!
pedantocracy (s) (noun), pedantocracies (pl)
A government by pedants: Mrs. Smith did not agree with the system of pedantocracy which involved individuals who always pointed out unimportant and minor details or former rules, and pretentiously exhibited their academic knowledge.

A pedantocracy can also be a government that requires full details when administering issues in the laws that have been passed.

pedantocracy (s) (noun), pedantocracies (pl)
The rule by children or under the control of children: When comparing different kinds of governments, the young students in the classroom thought that pedantocracy would be a great idea!!
pedantocratic (adjective), more pedantocratic, most pedantocratic
Pertaining to pedantocracy: Mrs. Smart asked her students to find some literature explaining the pedantocratic system of government and what kind of individuals led that type of government.
pedocracy, paedocracy (s) (noun); pedocracies; paedocracies (pl)
A government that is run by or consists of children: The story was very interesting for Sam because young people like him ruled the island and the government was called a pedocracy.
physiocracy (s) (noun), physiocracies (pl)
A system of rule in accordance to a presumed natural order: A physiocracy is a government that does not interfere with the operation of supposed natural laws or principles.
pigmentocracy (s) (noun), pigmentocracies (pl)
A ruling class made up of people of one skin color: Sally learned that a pigmentocracy was a system of government run by those of a certain skin tone and without regard to social and economic factors.
plutocracy (s) (noun), plutocracies (pl)
1. The rule or sovereign power of a country by those who are wealthy: The governing plutocracy never bothered with elections because they didn't want to upset the status quo.
2. A ruling or controlling of an influential class of wealthy people: Plutocracy consists of the overall influence of the affluent to affect people or events in social and economic affairs.

James told his business friends, "If it could be proven that plutocracy is likely to improve the country's standard of living, then I would strive to be a plutocrat."

plutocratic (adjective), more plutocratic, most plutocratic
1. A reference to the rule or sovereign power of wealth or of the wealthy: The courts were challenging the plutocratic structure of the government that only allowed the rich people to run for political offices in the elections.
2. A descriptive word which applies to any kind of control by an influential class of wealthy people: The plutocratic power of the owners of the factory was being challenged by the unions and the workers.
plutodemocracy (s) (noun), plutodemocracies (pl)
A country or a government that masquerades or claims, or has claimed, to be a democracy but where power actually is controlled by those who are rich: Many of the governments that have emerged from former colonial states claimed to be democracies but they were really plutodemocracies.

Cross references of word families related directly, or indirectly, to: "master, lead, leading, ruler, ruling, govern": -agogic; agon-; arch-; dom-; gov-; magist-; poten-; regi-; tyran-.