Polycracy
Encyclopedia
A polycracy is a state ruled by more than one person, as opposed to monocracy. The word is derived from Greek
-- poly which means "many" and kratos which means "rule" or "strength". It is also known as polyarchy
. Many seemingly autocratic states are merely a facade of polycratic societies. Even if one individual acts as a figurehead, they will usually have some sort of support network by which they will rule their nations.
), would often fight for power.
Speer states that Hermann Göring
raced to Hitler's headquarters on hearing of Fritz Todt
's death, hoping to claim Todt's powers. Hitler instead presented Göring with the fait accompli of Speer's appointment, causing Göring to leave without even attending Todt's funeral.
Also communist regimes are known for the bitter fighting between factions, most famous being Stalin vs Leon Trotsky
(the latter was eventually assassinated in Mexico by Ramón Mercader
, a Soviet agent.)
There are obvious close links with totalitarianism
.
In a discussion of contemporary British foreign policy, Mark Curtis
stated that "Polyarchy
is generally what British leaders mean when they speak of promoting 'democracy' abroad. This is a system in which a small group actually rules and mass participation is confined to choosing leaders in elections managed by competing elites."
, representative democracy, party-state).
In a polycratic society there are by definition a number of groups fighting between themselves for power and depending on the respective state's tradition. They are called clans, lobbies, parties, families or factions. The most important assets for which these groups are fighting are state funded contracts (see military-industrial complex
).
These societies will enforce restricting laws (or customs) regarding:
rights to bear arms, freedom of information
, religious tolerance, women's rights.
Also notable for polycratic states is their tendency to censure mass-media, either by law, or indirectly (by having privately-owned (by one of the groups) media channels, ignoring important developments in social or political life, or masking
them with an abundance of irrelevant information, like crimes, entertainment, sport, or celebrity hunting.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
-- poly which means "many" and kratos which means "rule" or "strength". It is also known as polyarchy
Polyarchy
In modern political science, the term polyarchy was introduced by Robert A. Dahl, now emeritus professor at Yale University, to describe a form of government in which power is vested in three or more persons. This form of government was first implemented in the United States and was gradually...
. Many seemingly autocratic states are merely a facade of polycratic societies. Even if one individual acts as a figurehead, they will usually have some sort of support network by which they will rule their nations.
Examples of polycracy
While it has been argued that the Nazi regime was totalitarianistic, it is far more suiting to place it as a polycratic state. Adolf Hitler delegated many responsibilities, and his inferiors (such as Albert SpeerAlbert Speer
Albert Speer, born Berthold Konrad Hermann Albert Speer, was a German architect who was, for a part of World War II, Minister of Armaments and War Production for the Third Reich. Speer was Adolf Hitler's chief architect before assuming ministerial office...
), would often fight for power.
Speer states that Hermann Göring
Hermann Göring
Hermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
raced to Hitler's headquarters on hearing of Fritz Todt
Fritz Todt
Fritz Todt was a German engineer and senior Nazi figure, the founder of Organisation Todt. He died in a plane crash during World War II.- Life :Todt was born in Pforzheim to a father who owned a small factory...
's death, hoping to claim Todt's powers. Hitler instead presented Göring with the fait accompli of Speer's appointment, causing Göring to leave without even attending Todt's funeral.
Also communist regimes are known for the bitter fighting between factions, most famous being Stalin vs Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
(the latter was eventually assassinated in Mexico by Ramón Mercader
Ramón Mercader
Jaime Ramón Mercader del Río Hernández was a Spanish communist who became famous as the murderer of Russian Communist ideologist Leon Trotsky in 1940, in Mexico...
, a Soviet agent.)
There are obvious close links with totalitarianism
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
.
In a discussion of contemporary British foreign policy, Mark Curtis
Mark Curtis (British author)
Mark Curtis is a British journalist, writer, and historian specialising in investigative journalism. He has written numerous books on the foreign policy of the United Kingdom and the United States during the twentieth century.-Biography:...
stated that "Polyarchy
Polyarchy
In modern political science, the term polyarchy was introduced by Robert A. Dahl, now emeritus professor at Yale University, to describe a form of government in which power is vested in three or more persons. This form of government was first implemented in the United States and was gradually...
is generally what British leaders mean when they speak of promoting 'democracy' abroad. This is a system in which a small group actually rules and mass participation is confined to choosing leaders in elections managed by competing elites."
Features of polycracy
Polycracy is currently the most used form of government in our world; most states having a government centered on a parliament and/or lobbies and corporations; thus, even if they define themselves as monarchies or communist or democracies, the actual power is detained by a politic class which is mostly impervious to public scrutiny (see electorsElectorate
Electorate may refer to:* voters, people entitled to vote in an election* electoral district or constituency, the geographic area of a particular election* The dominion of a Prince-elector in the Holy Roman Empire...
, representative democracy, party-state).
In a polycratic society there are by definition a number of groups fighting between themselves for power and depending on the respective state's tradition. They are called clans, lobbies, parties, families or factions. The most important assets for which these groups are fighting are state funded contracts (see military-industrial complex
Military-industrial complex
Military–industrial complex , or Military–industrial-congressional complex is a concept commonly used to refer to policy and monetary relationships between legislators, national armed forces, and the industrial sector that supports them...
).
These societies will enforce restricting laws (or customs) regarding:
rights to bear arms, freedom of information
Freedom of information
Freedom of information refers to the protection of the right to freedom of expression with regards to the Internet and information technology . Freedom of information may also concern censorship in an information technology context, i.e...
, religious tolerance, women's rights.
Also notable for polycratic states is their tendency to censure mass-media, either by law, or indirectly (by having privately-owned (by one of the groups) media channels, ignoring important developments in social or political life, or masking
Masking
In art, craft, and engineering, masking is the use of materials to protect areas from change, or to focus change on other areas.Masking can describe either the techniques and materials used to control the development of a work of art by protecting a desired area from change; or a phenomenon that ...
them with an abundance of irrelevant information, like crimes, entertainment, sport, or celebrity hunting.