plutocrats
Money controls government
Plutocrats are people who wield power through their wealth, or the wealthy class that influences or controls government.
The term carries critical connotations—calling someone a plutocrat suggests their money buys political influence it shouldn't: The senator answers to plutocrats, not voters.
Wall Street plutocrats crashed the economy and walked away unscathed.
Powerful business leaders
- magnatesWealthy, powerful industrialists
- mogulsBumps or bigwigs
- baronsTitled nobles, lowest rank
- industrialistsOwners of manufacturing enterprises
financiers · capitalists · CEOs · executives · conglomerates · monopolists · robber-barons · acquisitions
Wealthy few who govern
- kingmakersThose who decide leadership
- powerbrokersThose controlling political outcomes
- puppeteersControllers of jointed figures
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
donors · patronage · clout · corruption · cronyism · nepotism · sway · manipulation
People with vast fortunes
- millionairesPeople worth seven figures
- affluentHaving abundant financial resources
- richHaving much of something
- prosperousEnjoying wealth and success
fortunes · estates · mansions · yachts · luxury · opulence · heirs · heiresses
Unequal distribution of resources
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- greedExcessive desire for wealth
- hoardingExcessive accumulation of goods
- populismPolitics favoring ordinary citizens
resentment · excess · unearned · entitlement · oligarchy · dystopia
Titled ruling class
- gentryHighborn but not noble
- patriciansHereditary ruling class
- bluebloodsHereditary upper class
- upper-classSocially and economically privileged
establishment · privileged · pedigree · elite · socialites · exclusive · dynastic · aristocrats
tycoons
Powerful business leaders
industrialists · financiers · capitalists · CEOs · executives · conglomerates · monopolists · robber-barons · acquisitions · mergers
oligarchs
Wealthy few who govern
- kingmakersThose who decide leadership
- powerbrokersThose controlling political outcomes
- puppeteersControllers of jointed figures
lobbying · donors · patronage · clout · corruption · cronyism · nepotism · sway · manipulation · elites
billionaires
People with vast fortunes
- millionairesPeople worth seven figures
- affluentHaving abundant financial resources
- richHaving much of something
prosperous · fortunes · estates · mansions · yachts · luxury · opulence · heirs · heiresses · bourgeoisie
inequality
Unequal distribution of resources
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- greedExcessive desire for wealth
- hoardingExcessive accumulation of goods
populism · resentment · excess · unearned · entitlement · oligarchy · dystopia
nobility
Titled ruling class
- gentryHighborn but not noble
- patriciansHereditary ruling class
- bluebloodsHereditary upper class
upper-class · establishment · privileged · pedigree · elite · socialites · exclusive · dynastic · aristocrats · peerage
- eliteselites, oligarchs, aristocrats, blue bloods, old money
- social classesupper class, middle class, lower class, working class, nobles
- elite poweroligarchy, oligarch, oligarchs, elite, elites
- power playerspower brokers, insiders, dealmakers, influencers, kingmakers
- authoritiesrulers, ruler, leaders, leader, officials
- eliteelite, elites, aristocrats, nobility, best
plutocratspaupers
Extremely impoverished people
the poor · have-nots · the masses · working class · proletariat
plutocratselected representatives
Chosen holders of public office
democrats · populists · the people · public servants · tribunes
plutocratsproletariat
Laborers lacking capital ownership
working class · laborers · workers · commoners · peasants