ship of state
Country as craft
A ship of state is a metaphor for a nation or government, imagining the country as a vessel navigating through waters that may be calm or stormy.
The image suggests leadership as captaincy and citizens as passengers or crew whose fate depends on wise steering: The president took the helm of the ship of state during turbulent times.
The phrase appears in political rhetoric and editorial writing.
- helmVessel's steering mechanism
- at the helmLeading an organization
- steady handUnwavering manual control
- rudderPivoting stern blade
- captainOne who commands
voyage · uncharted waters · navigation · steer · republic · governance · democracy · statecraft · flagship · nation · polity · commonwealth · anchor · course · stay the course · waters · troubled · rough seas
- allegoriesallegory, fable, parable, Animal Farm, Pilgrim's Progress
- PlatoPlato, academy, Academy, allegory, the Republic
- Plato's Republicthe Republic, Socrates, philosopher king, guardians, auxiliaries
- moral talesfable, parable, moral stories, allegory, moral fables
- leadership termscaptain, shepherd, helmsman, navigator, pilot
- editorial cartoonseditorial cartoon, political cartoon, political satire, caricature, cartoonist
ship of statefailed state
Ungovernable nation lacking authority
anarchy · sinking ship · shipwreck · mutiny · political vacuum
ship, state, ships, shipped, shipping, shipment, shipyard, shipmate, stately