plantocracy

1 9.9

A small group of owners of large farms who control politics and money

noun
/plænˈtɒkrəsi/

Formal

: plantocracia

The decisions made by the plantocracy during slavery had a lasting impact on the social structure of the region.

Examples

These same developments empowered a populist-minded new political elite that would prevent any resurgence by the old plantocracy.

Academic text (2002)
Knibb's radical ministry put him in serious jeopardy with his fellow English expatriates, many of whom formed the slave-owning sugar plantocracy.

Academic text (2000)
During the colonial era, the plantocracy exerted significant power over the economy and politics of the Caribbean islands.
Many members of the plantocracy were opposed to changes that threatened their wealth and influence in the Caribbean.

Antonyms

proletariat

Specialized

17 7.9

People who work for pay and do not own land or factories

commoner

16 4.2

A person without a noble title who is an ordinary member of society

Surface Forms

plantocracy singular

plantocracies plural

Morphology

plantocracy = planter (semi-transparent) = plant + er + ocracy

The word is built from 'plant' + '-er' + '-ocracy', and the sense of a class or rule connected with plantation owners is fairly clear, but the historical social meaning is specialized.

Etymology

The word plantocracy combines plantation, from plant meaning 'to put in the ground', and the ending -ocracy, the same ending in democracy that means 'rule' or 'power'. So, a plantocracy is the rule of plantation owners, which is why the word describes the powerful class in places like the Caribbean during colonial times.