English

Noun

ochlocrat ‎(plural ochlocrats)

1. An adherent of the principle of ochlocracy; a advocate of mob rule.
   • 1897: Gilbert Murray, M.A., A history of ancient Greek literature, page 338 (D. Appleton and Company)

     But Lysias was an unabashed ‘ ochlocrat.’ He was at this time poor, and his citizenship was shown to be illegal almost as soon as it was granted.

   • 1993: Jorge Amado, Gregory Rabassa [tr.], The War of the Saints, page 117 (Bantam Books; ISBN 0553095374, 9780553095371)

     “You, Father, are an ochlocrat. No heresy in our time is more noxious than trying to implant ochlocracy in the Church. And that’s what you’re trying to do.”

   • 2006: Heinrich August Winkler, Alexander Sager [tr.], Germany: The Long Road West, 1789–1933, page 59 (Oxford University Press; ISBN 0199265976, 978-0199265978)

     ‘The people are as holy as the mob is unholy. A democract is one who wants government for the people and by the people. Someone who wants mob rule is called an “ochlocrat”.’ [from ochlos, Greek for ‘mass’, ‘mob’ (h.a.w.)] The three estates, the nobility, peasantry, and bourgeoisie, must have advisory and co-determinative political power in all issues and requirements of the country; the princes are to exercise executive authority ‘within boundaries established by the general laws of Germany’.³¹

Derived terms

• ochlocratic
• ochlocratical
• ochlocratically

Related terms

• -crat
• ochl-
• ochlagogue
• ochlagogy
• ochlocracy