collectivism
UK[kəˈlɛktɪvɪzəm]US[kəˈlɛktɪvɪzəm]
n
A political or economic theory advocating collective control, especially over production and distribution, as opposed to private ownership.
n
The practice or principle of giving priority to the group over the individual.
Morpheme Breakdown
collect
ive
ism
collect
gather
ive
adjective suffix
ism
doctrine or system
Etymology
The term 'collectivism' is a modern formation built from classical components. Its core, 'collect', originates from the Latin colligere, meaning 'to gather or bring together', which itself combines the idea of 'togetherness' (com-) with 'selecting or picking' (legere). The addition of the adjectival suffix '-ive' transforms it into 'collective', describing something characterized by being gathered or owned jointly. Finally, the Greek-derived nominal suffix '-ism' is appended, systematically converting the adjective into a noun that denotes the doctrine or system based on collective principles. Thus, the word's literal journey from 'gathered together' to an abstract socio-economic theory elegantly encapsulates its core logic: a system centered on the group as a unified entity.
Analysis
Structure: collect (gather) + ive (adjective suffix) + ism (doctrine or system)
- collect: From Latin collectus, past participle of colligere ('to gather together'), from com- ('together') + legere ('to gather, choose'). In this word, it functions as the core root conveying the sense of 'gathered' or 'grouped'.
- ive: A suffix of Latin origin (-ivus) used to form adjectives meaning 'of the nature of' or 'tending to'.
- ism: A suffix of Greek origin (-ισμός, -ismos) used to form nouns denoting a distinctive system, theory, or practice.
Examples
The political philosophy was rooted in a strong form of collectivism.
In practice, the farm operated under a system of collectivism where all resources were shared.
He argued that excessive collectivism could stifle individual initiative and creativity.