tammanyism

Etymology

From Tammany + -ism.

tammanyism means A style of corrupt democratic politics. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 88 out of 100.

Why this word is great

TAMMANYISM — [Noun] A style of corrupt democratic politics characterized by patronage and cronyism. From Tammany Hall, the headquarters of the Tammany Society, a New York City political organization known for corruption (named after Tamanen or Tammenund, a 17th-century Lenape chief) + -ism (denoting a practice or ideology). Unlike "populism" (which claims to champion the common people) or "machine politics" (a neutral term for party control), Tammanyism is the art of governance as a grift—votes traded for jobs, contracts doled out to loyalists, and public coffers treated as private slush funds. It is the greased palm of a ward boss, the backroom deal sealed with whiskey and a wink, the ledger where favors owed outweigh principles upheld—a reminder that power, left unchecked, will always rot from the inside.

noun

A style of corrupt democratic politics.