Paternalism Meaning
/pəˈtɝnəlɪzəm/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe treatment of people in a fatherly manner, especially by caring for them and sometimes being stern with them.
nounThe guiding of people in a manner that limits their autonomy in the name of their own well-being.
Sentence Examples
Paternalism can be seen as condescending.
Paternalism is a complex social issue.
The workers resented the paternalism of the company management.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The manager's ____ annoyed employees who wanted more freedom.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Critics accused the government of ____ for making decisions on behalf of citizens without consulting them.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English paternal Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English paternalism From paternal + -ism.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control."
— 2012 January 26, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 08 Jan 2012, page 74:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The manager's ____ annoyed employees who wanted more freedom.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Critics accused the government of ____ for making decisions on behalf of citizens without consulting them.