statism

noun

stat·ism | \ ˈstā-ˌti-zəm

Definition of statism

: concentration of economic controls and planning in the hands of a highly centralized government often extending to government ownership of industry … although dictator Augusto Pinochet made it the first Latin American country to steer away from statism in 1982, Chile struggled for seven years before the economy finally soared.— Marc Levinson with Tim Padgett Russia badly needs basic economic reform, not the roller-coaster-like changes between "free market" austerity and old-style statism. — Forbes

Examples of statism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The concern over sugar is real, but milk that isn’t drunk holds no benefit for kids, except perhaps as an early lesson in the pitfalls of nanny-statism. — Nr Editors, National Review, 17 Mar. 2022 From Canada and Australia to the U.K. and beyond, the government response to the Covid-19 pandemic has mostly devolved to heavy-handed mandates, unprecedented nanny statism, and incipient authoritarianism. — Marion Smith, WSJ, 16 Feb. 2022 Unfortunately, there appears to be a concerted effort to move the United States rapidly away from localism toward statism. — Robert Brooks, National Review, 28 July 2021 Oppressive statism and compulsory structures have long sapped human creativity. — Robert Brooks, National Review, 28 July 2021 Their mood was somber, for statism had permeated the governments of Western Europe while communism ruled in Eastern Europe with a little help from the Soviet Army. — Lee Edwards, National Review, 3 Dec. 2020 Their pedigree can be traced back to Plato, the father of statism. — Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 23 Oct. 2020 That would only accelerate the trends of uniformity, statism, and alienation, frustrating our long-range aims. — Andy Smarick, National Review, 17 Sep. 2020 The procedures of American conservatism can ward off statism, empower citizens, facilitate community action, and protect faith communities. — Andy Smarick, National Review, 17 Sep. 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'statism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.