Meaning & use
etatism
Last updated
UK/ˈeɪtɑːtɪzəm/
US/ˈeɪtɑtɪzəm/
Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
A political approach in which the government takes a leading role in controlling the economy and society.
Grammar: No plural: etatism has shaped the country's economy.
Patterns
- etatism in a country
Economists argued that etatism slowed private enterprise.
The party defended a form of etatism that kept key industries public.
Etatism was strong in the country for most of the twentieth century.
Common combinations
- economic etatism
- Economic etatism shaped post-war France.
- state-led etatism
- The leaders favored state-led etatism.
- reject etatism
- The reformers rejected etatism.
- strong etatism
- Strong etatism marked the regime.
Synonyms and how they differ
- statism
- It is the more common English spelling and means the same.
- state control
- It is a plain phrase that describes action, not a political philosophy.
- interventionism
- It describes government involvement in the economy, but without the strong state-centered ideology of etatism.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: etatism or estate?
etatism vs estate
It names property or social class and is unrelated in meaning to etatism.
Practice
Which policy is most typical of etatism?
Choose one answer.
Etatism favors strong state control. The other options describe free-market or anarchist ideas.
Make it your own
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