Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
Government that is limited to a bare minimum of functions, usually just military, police, and courts.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: government, human-sciences, philosophy, politics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: minarchy, minimal state
Antonyms: none provided
History
Calque of German Nachtwächterstaat, which was coined by German socialist Ferdinand Lassalle in an 1862 speech in Berlin. He used this term to criticize the idea of a state with minimal government, comparing it to a night watchman whose sole duty was preventing theft.
Across languages
8 source translations are retained for this English entry.
