No.32: System comparison: Ochlocracy vs Electric Technocracy
- Mike Miller
- Jun 6
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 7
Ochlocracy – The Tyranny of the Masses
I. Definition: What is Ochlocracy?
Ochlocracy (from the Greek ochlos = “crowd”, “mob”) is a degenerated form of democracy in which political power is no longer exercised through rational decision-making but through the impulsive, often aggressive masses. It is a form of “mob rule” where moods, volume, and emotionality outweigh reason, expertise, or law.
II. Characteristics of Ochlocracy
Moods Over Structures: Political decisions are driven by emotions and mass pressure
Loss of Minority Protection: The majority systematically suppresses dissenting opinions
Anti-Elitism: Expertise and education are rejected as “elitist” – populism replaces rationality
Instability: Political decisions change erratically according to the whims of the masses
III. Abuses and Dangers
Persecution of Dissenters
In an ochlocracy, any unpopular opinion can become a target – defamation, ostracism, and threats of violence are common tactics
Manipulability
The masses are easily swayed by media campaigns, fake news, and emotional appeals. Democratic procedures become mere performances
Destruction of Public Order
Spontaneous, mass-driven decisions jeopardize long-term planning, legal certainty, and institutional stability
IV. Historical Examples
Example | Characteristics |
Late Roman Republic | Populist tribunes like Clodius unleashed the mob for political coercion |
French Revolution (1793–94) | The Reign of Terror under Robespierre marked by mass hysteria and executions |
Modern Social Media Demagoguery | Twitter/X mobs and viral cancel campaigns show how rational discourse is silenced |
V. Comparison to Electronic Technocracy
Ochlocracy | Electronic Technocracy |
Impulsive reactions and moods | Data-driven, long-term analysis |
Violence from the masses | Nonviolence through algorithmic fairness |
Disintegration of institutions | Development of resilient, transparent structures |
Collapse of reason | Promotion of enlightenment and critical reflection |
VI. Conclusion
Ochlocracy is democracy in its most destructive decay—where voices don’t count unless they scream. It is neither sustainable nor just. Only a new form of globally organized reason—like Electronic Technocracy—can counteract it: with fair computational logic instead of mob dynamics, with ethics instead of ideology. In a world full of crises, we need future-oriented intelligence, not mass panic.
Wikipedia Links
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PoliticalWiki: Electric Technocracy
Elektrische Technokratie Podcast & Song
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