anarchy

the absence of laws or government: The fall of the empire was followed by chaos and anarchy.

Not to be confused with:

aristocracy – rule by elite or privileged upper class: The governing body was composed of the country’s most powerful aristocracy.

democracy – government by the people: The United States is a democracy.

oligarchy – government by the few: The citizens have no voice in an oligarchy.

plutocracy – government in which the wealthy class rules: In a plutocracy, there is little regard for the poor.

an·ar·chy

(ăn′ər-kē)

n. pl. an·ar·chies

1. Absence of any form of political authority.

2. Political disorder and confusion.

3. Absence of any cohesive principle, such as a common standard or purpose.

[New Latin anarchia, from Greek anarkhiā, from anarkhos, without a ruler : an-, without; see a-¹ + arkhos, ruler; see -arch.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

anarchy

(ˈænəkɪ)

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) general lawlessness and disorder, esp when thought to result from an absence or failure of government

2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the absence or lack of government

3. the absence of any guiding or uniting principle; disorder; chaos

4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the theory or practice of political anarchism

[C16: from Medieval Latin anarchia, from Greek anarkhia, from anarkhos without a ruler, from an- + arkh- leader, from arkhein to rule]

anarchic, anˈarchical adj

anˈarchically adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

an•ar•chy

(ˈæn ər ki)

n.

1. a state of society without government or law.

2. political and social disorder due to the absence of governmental control.

3. a theory that regards the absence of all direct or coercive government as a political ideal and that proposes the cooperative and voluntary association of individuals and groups as the principal mode of organized society.

4. confusion; chaos; disorder.

[1530–40; < Middle French anarchie or Medieval Latin anarchia < Greek anarchía lack of a leader]

an•ar•chic (ænˈɑr kɪk) an•ar′chi•cal, adj.

an•ar′chi•cal•ly, adv.

anarchy

an absence of government and law; political disorder, often accompanied by violence. See also order and disorder.

anarchy

noun lawlessness, revolution, riot, disorder, confusion, chaos, rebellion, misrule, disorganization, misgovernment Their liberal traditions were slipping into anarchy.
government, order, control, law, rule, peace, discipline, law and order

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

anarchy

noun

A lack of civil order or peace:

disorder, lawlessness, misrule.

Translations

فَقْدَان الحُكْمفَوْضى

анархия

anarchiebezvládíchaoszmatek

anarkilovløshed

anarkia

anarhija

anarchia

stjórnleysi

anarchia anarchico

anarchijaanarchistasanarchizmaschaosassuirutė

anarhijasajukums

anarhie

anarchiabezvládie

anarki

anarşikarışklık

无政府状态混乱

anarchy

[ˈænəkɪ] N

1. (Pol) → anarquía f

2. (= chaos) → anarquía f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

anarchy

[ˈænə^rki] n (= chaos, disorder) → anarchie f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

anarchy

n → Anarchie f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

anarchy

[ˈænəkɪ] n → anarchia

anarchy

(ˈӕnəki) noun

1. the absence or failure of government. Total anarchy followed the defeat of the government.

2. disorder and confusion.

ˈanarchist noun

1. a person who believes that governments are unnecessary or undesirable.

2. a person who tries to overturn the government by violence.

ˈanarchism noun

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

SOME Apes who had deposed their king fell at once into dissension and anarchy. In this strait they sent a Deputation to a neighbouring tribe to consult the Oldest and Wisest Ape in All the World.

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The rich also even in democracies, despising the disorder and anarchy which will arise, hope to better themselves by the same means which happened at Thebes after the battle of Oenophyta, where, in consequence of bad administration, the democracy was destroyed; as it was at Megara, where the power of the people was lost through anarchy and disorder; the same thing happened at Syracuse before the tyranny of Gelon; and at Rhodes there was the same sedition before the popular government was overthrown.

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Plainly, the central idea of secession is the essence of anarchy. A majority held in restraint by constitutional checks and limitations, and always changing easily with deliberate changes of popular opinions and sentiments, is the only true sovereign of a free people.

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And when they have emptied and swept clean the soul of him who is now in their power and who is being initiated by them in great mysteries, the next thing is to bring back to their house insolence and anarchy and waste and impudence in bright array having garlands on their heads, and a great company with them, hymning their praises and calling them by sweet names; insolence they term breeding, and anarchy liberty, and waste magnificence, and impudence courage.

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This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.

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The agitation for the Universal Colour Bill continued for three years; and up to the last moment of that period it seemed as though Anarchy were destined to triumph.

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Because in all cities these two distinct parties are found, and from this it arises that the people do not wish to be ruled nor oppressed by the nobles, and the nobles wish to rule and oppress the people; and from these two opposite desires there arises in cities one of three results, either a principality, self- government, or anarchy.

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Nietzsche, the supposed anarchist, here plainly disclaims all relationship whatever to anarchy, for he shows us that only by bearing the burdens of the existing law and submitting to it patiently, as the camel submits to being laden, does the free spirit acquire that ascendancy over tradition which enables him to meet and master the dragon "Thou shalt,"--the dragon with the values of a thousand years glittering on its scales.

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It is impossible to read the history of the petty republics of Greece and Italy without feeling sensations of horror and disgust at the distractions with which they were continually agitated, and at the rapid succession of revolutions by which they were kept in a state of perpetual vibration between the extremes of tyranny and anarchy. If they exhibit occasional calms, these only serve as short-lived contrast to the furious storms that are to succeed.

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In a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature, where the weaker individual is not secured against the violence of the stronger; and as, in the latter state, even the stronger individuals are prompted, by the uncertainty of their condition, to submit to a government which may protect the weak as well as themselves; so, in the former state, will the more powerful factions or parties be gradnally induced, by a like motive, to wish for a government which will protect all parties, the weaker as well as the more powerful.

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In their desperation they ravaged the farms for food, and the consequent tumult and anarchy in the country districts but increased the woes of the poor expropriated farmers.

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Hence it resulted that though the Middle Ages were in Italy a period of terrible political anarchy, yet Italian culture recovered far more rapidly than that of the northern nations, whom the Italians continued down to the modern period to regard contemptuously as still mere barbarians.

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