Technocracy (bureaucratic)

:This article pertains to a technocracy as a bureaucratic structure. For other uses of the term, see Technocrat (disambiguation).

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Technocracy is an organizational system in which decision makers and political leaders are selected on the basis of technological knowledge —often because of some conflict or competition where technological escalation is a constant feature.

Related Topics:
Knowledge - Technological escalation

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The term was coined in 1919 by American engineer W.H. Smith. It came into common usage through management theorist James Burnham's 1941 work Managerial Revolution. The term became widely used to describe politics and now generally refers to an elite who governs through use of technology/technological prowess.

Related Topics:
1919 - American - W.H. Smith - James Burnham - 1941 - Politics

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The situation usually described is one in which the elite are selected through bureaucratic processes on the basis of specialized knowledge, rather than through democratic or other processes.

Related Topics:
Elite - Bureaucratic - Democratic

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Technocracy is often thought of as 'rule by scientists and engineers,' or bringing these groups into power.

Related Topics:
Scientists - Engineers

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The term may be either positive or negative. Typically a "technocracy" is a form of defacto elitism, whereby the concepts of "most qualified" and a ruling ethnic elite tend to be homologous.

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The general term has been applied to a number of governments, most notably Singapore, Chile under Augusto Pinochet and the Chicago boys, and the current government of the People's Republic of China.

Related Topics:
Singapore - Chile - Augusto Pinochet - Chicago boys - People's Republic of China

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