-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
mediocracy (s) (noun), mediocracies (pl)
A government or dominance of society by the mediocre: Floyd thought his country was managed by a kind of mediocracy, being quite moderate and ordinary, and too often unsatisfactory and poorly run.
melanocratic (adjective),more melanocratic, most melanocratic
In geology, a description of a dark-colored rock; chromocratic; melanic: Such melanocratic rocks are igneous and contain at least 50-60% of mafic minerals.
meritocracy (s) (noun), meritocracies (pl)
A government by people who are selected on the basis of merit in a competitive educational system: A meritocracy is made up of an influential class of educated people.

A meritocracy includes an elite group of people whose progress is based on ability and talent rather than on class privileges or wealth.

Meritocracy is a system in which advancement is based on an individual's ability or achievement instead of personal influences.

meritocratic (adjective), more meritocratic, most meritocratic
Relating to or characteristic of a meritocracy: A meritocratic society is characterized by presenting individuals with rewards or a status depending on what they have achieved, and not because of their social rank or wealth.
mesocracy (s) (noun), mesocracies (pl)
A government by the middle classes: Ruth read that a mesocracy was a kind of ruling system run by the bourgeoise, and excluding both the rich upper class and poor lower class of people.
mesocratic (adjective) (not comparable)
In geology, a description of an igneous rock which is composed of a fairly equal proportion of light and dark minerals in nearly equal amounts: Mesocratic rocks are intermediate in color between leucocratic (light-colored minerals) and melanocratic (dark-colored minerals).

metrocracy (s) (noun), metrocracies (pl)
Any community, society, or social group that is based on matriarchy: Metrocracy is a form of organization or government where women have power.

Metrocracy can be further explained as a form of social order where women are in charge and are recognized as the heads of families, with power, lineage, and inheritance passing, where possible, from mothers to daughters.

mobocracy (s) (noun), mobocracies (pl)
A rule by the mass of ordinary people; or rule of the mob; ochlocracy: In the newspaper, Jill read that the worst kind of government would be a mobocracy, which would be the end of a prosperous and peaceful nation.
mobocrat (s) (noun), mobocrats (pl)
A person who advocates a government by the mob: Mr. Smart read about a group of mobocrats who were in favor of a governing body including the unintelligent populace who would lead the country without any limitations.
monocracy (s) (noun), monocracies (pl)
A government or rule by a single person; autocracy: A monocracy is a kind governing system whereby the sole ruler is an absolute dictator and not controlled by a constitution, any laws, or opponents.
monocratic (adjective), more monocratic, most monocratic
Descriptive of a ruling system by a single person; autocratic: In a monocratic type of government, only a sole person has total political control nd power in the country and this form of governing can also be termed as totalitarian or tyrannic.
neocracy (s) (noun), neocracies (pl)
A government run by amateurs: Neocracy can be described as the rule of the upstarts by nonprofessionals.

A neocracy is run by new or inexperienced and untried officials.

nomocracy (s) (noun), nomocracies (pl)
In politics, a system of government based on a legal code; the rule of law in a community: Mrs. Thompson explained to her students that a nomocracy was a political system which was under the sovereignty of sensible and sound laws and civic rights.
ochlocracy (s) (noun), ochlocracies (pl)
A government by the mob: mobocracy; mob rule: In the story Natasha was reading, the multitude of common people decided to take over the dominance of the country and turn it into an ochlocracy.
ochlocratic (adjective), more ochlocratic, most ochlocratic
A description of mob rule or government by the multitude: In the adventure story, the country was governed by an ochlocratic mass of unintelligent people who kept all tourists out and didn't allow anyone to visit their territory.

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-.