corporatism
UK[ˈkɔːp(ə)rətɪz(ə)m]US[ˈkɔːrp(ə)rətɪz(ə)m]
n
A political or economic system in which the major sectors of society (e.g., business, labor, agriculture) are organized into corporate groups that negotiate with the state on national policy.
n
The control of a state or organization by large interest groups.
Morpheme Breakdown
corpor
ate
ism
corpor
body
ate
adjective suffix
ism
doctrine/system
Etymology
The term 'corporatism' is built upon the Latin root corpus, meaning "body," which metaphorically extended to signify any organized group or collective, such as a guild or city. The adjective-forming suffix -ate creates 'corporate,' describing something pertaining to such a unified body. Finally, the abstract noun suffix -ism transforms it into a doctrine, specifically the 20th-century political theory where society and the economy are managed by interest groups, or "corporate bodies," negotiating with the state. Thus, the word's logic moves from the literal concept of a physical body to the abstract idea of a socio-political system organized around collective entities.
Analysis
Structure: corpor (body) + ate (adjective suffix) + ism (doctrine/system)
- corpor: From Latin corpus (body). In this word, it signifies an organized group or collective entity.
- ate: A suffix of Latin origin used to form adjectives meaning "having the nature of" (e.g., corporate). Here, it forms the adjective stem.
- ism: A suffix from Greek -ismos, via Latin and French, used to form nouns denoting a distinctive system, theory, or practice.
Examples
The country's political structure was characterized by a strong form of corporatism, with official boards for industry and labor.
Critics argue that excessive corporatism can stifle individual initiative and market competition.
The ideology promoted a form of state corporatism that sought to eliminate class conflict.