Big Brotherism

[ bruhth-uh-riz-uhm ]

noun

1. paternalistic authoritarianism that seeks to supply the needs and regulate the conduct of people.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Big Brotherism¹

First recorded in 1950–55; big brother + -ism

Example Sentences

Just like the explosion of TV use, the explosion of internet use cannot be countered by Big Brotherism.

From New York Times

After the initial shocks of 9/11 waned, a collective wisdom seemed to emerge that a dark civic response — xenophobia, fear mongering, Big Brotherism and vigilantism — would only compound the tragedy.

From Seattle Times

This is not a leave-me-alone coalition, at least not one that can credibly consider itself a foil to the left’s Big Brotherism.

From Washington Post

From today’s perspective, the call for racial purity and selective breeding smacks of Big Brotherism, but large numbers of Americans embraced it, a fact demonstrated in legislatures across the country.

From Salon

They plan to gather detailed information about students, but what separates the program from creepy Big Brotherism is their promise to aggregate data only on the group and not individual level.

From Forbes