# what is the word \[for a society where money rules\]? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399 "2009-01-22T02:57:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dlh210](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc348/32.png) [@dlh210](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dlh210)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/1 "2009-01-22T02:57:11Z")
what is the word that people use alot when they describe a government or society that only cares about money or money rules the society? ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/2 "2009-01-22T02:59:43Z")
Plutocracy. (You mean I got one?) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/3 "2009-01-22T02:59:51Z")
Materialistic ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/4 "2009-01-22T03:32:43Z")
Edited title to indicate subject. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/5 "2009-01-22T04:11:07Z")
**Khampelf** got it. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/6 "2009-01-22T04:17:53Z")
Since the OP specified that it is a word that is “used a lot”, I’ll vote for capitalist, though after reading the definition, plutocracy does seem more correct. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/7 "2009-01-22T04:33:08Z")
Ferengi ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/8 "2009-01-22T12:00:42Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Since the OP specified that it is a word that is “used a lot”, I’ll vote for capitalist, though after reading the definition, plutocracy does seem more correct. It’s not just definition, it’s also grammar. “Capitalist” is merely an adjective, while “plutocracy” is a noun. I can’t say “I live in a capitalist”, the way I used to say “I live in a democracy”. I was hoping someone would suggest a one-word noun which was clearly based on the word “capitalist”. “Plutocracy” is technically correct, but most people don’t know what it means. If I try saying “I live in a plutocracy”, people will think that I’m from a place ruled by Disney dogs that can’t speak. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/9 "2009-01-22T12:31:23Z")
Have their ever been any actual plutocracies? Perhaps in Renaissance Italy, or 17th Century Netherlands? ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/10 "2009-01-22T12:52:51Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > I was hoping someone would suggest a one-word noun which was clearly based on the word “capitalist”. Capitalism? 🙂 I know, I know- you’re really looking for a one-word synonym for “capitalist society”, right? I’m guessing there isn’t one because the concept of “capitalism” as we know it today wasn’t really around in Ancient Greek times when the words plutocracy, aristocracy etc. orginated, and there’s no real need for one now. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/11 "2009-01-22T13:04:20Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > It’s not just definition, it’s also grammar. > > “Capitalist” is merely an adjective, while “plutocracy” is a noun. From the OP > [@](#): > > what is the word that people use alot when they **describe** a government or society that only cares about money or money rules the society? bolding mine. We use adjectives to describe things, not nouns. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/12 "2009-01-22T14:39:37Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Have their ever been any actual plutocracies? Perhaps in Renaissance Italy, or 17th Century Netherlands? The Venetian Republic, the Dux was chosen among the rich merchant families. It wasn’t a straight case of “the guy with the most toys rules,” but then, neither are our current democracies and republics completely free of plutocracy. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/13 "2009-01-22T14:50:29Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Capitalism? 🙂 That is incorrect. Capitalism is simply a system where wealth and property is privately owned. A capitalist society can become a plutocracy if income disparity becomes too high. They are not, however, synonymous. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/14 "2009-01-22T16:57:31Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Have their ever been any actual plutocracies? Perhaps in Renaissance Italy, or 17th Century Netherlands? I think Massilia (now Marseilles) was a plutocracy, but that’s based on a hazy memory of a fictional novel (by Steven Saylor, historian), albeit one that tries to stay true to its historical context. ---
**Author:** ![HumanMonkeyGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c67d28/32.png) [@HumanMonkeyGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanMonkeyGod)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/15 "2009-01-22T17:24:21Z")
The Western world? (sorry) ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/16 "2009-01-22T17:25:16Z")
[Kleptocracy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleptocracy). ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-word-for-a-society-where-money-rules/482399/17 "2009-01-22T19:38:38Z")
> [@J\_Cubed](#): > > [Kleptocracy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleptocracy). That’s rule by thieves, who come to power by force or heredity and \*take \*the money. Valete, Vox Imperatoris