senilocracy
nounEtymology From senile + -ocracy.
1
Derogatory A form of government where society is ruled by the senile.
- Near-synonym: gerontocracy
- The national party is divided into two factions: the progressists, who want to overthrow the senilocracy and bring to power the young and vigorous capacities that are needed by the state of the country; and the acculards [blind alley men, " stick-in-the-muds "] who are endeavouring to cling to all the old clothes of our government.1899, The Personal Opinions of Honore de Balzac, page 19:
2 more examples
- The chairmen of committees are beyond the reach of the Administration and even of Congress itself and constitute a kind of senilocracy that makes as much trouble and confusion as anything in Congress.1942 August 17, Life, page 84:
- This apparent Soviet receptivity to arms control can be attributed to several factors. First, after a number of years of suffering under a “senilocracy,’ the Soviet Union, at last, is under the direction of a dynamic, “live” leader who is able to make decisions, to respond more flexibly to the challenges of East-West public diplomacy, and to appreciate the impact of Soviet behavior on other nations.1988, Soviet-American relations : understanding differences, avoiding conflicts, page 142:
- Related terms
- necrocracy