Google
Saturday 
July 5, 2025 

AmosWEB means Economics with a Touch of Whimsy!

AmosWEBWEB*pediaGLOSS*aramaECON*worldCLASS*portalQUIZ*tasticPED GuideXtra CrediteTutorA*PLS
OIKONOMOS: This rather strange word is a greek term meaning "household manager" or "household steward" that gave rise to the modern term economy and the whole range of related terms, including economic, economics, economist, and economize. Ironically there are those who use economics less with the goal of providing "stewardship" of the economy and more focused on the goal of extracting maximum personal gain.

Visit the GLOSS*arama


FIRST ESTATE:

Another term for the government or public sector. This is one of four divisions of society based on economic function. The other three are businesses as the second estate, consumers as the third estate, and journalists as the fourth estate.
The notion of dividing society into different "estates" has roots in 18th century France, in which clergy and religious leaders were considered the first estate, royalty and aristocracy were the second estate, and peasants, serfs, and the working class were viewed as the third estate. Inventive journalists extended this classification to include themselves as the fourth estate.

The modern estates retain the essence of this division with an update to the realities of the modern economy. Government leaders and politicians, rather than clergy, assume their position in the first estate. Business leaders, rather than royalty, take over rule of the second estate. Rank-and-file consumers and those in the working class make up the third estate. And journalists continue as the fourth estate.

In past centuries, the first estate included religious leaders and clergy. In modern times, it includes politicians and government leaders who can exert a great deal of control over resources through the coercive powers of government. One historical function of the first estate is to protect the less powerful consumers, taxpayers, and workers of the third estate from the market control typically held by the business leaders of the second estate. It is not uncommon, however, for an unhealthy degree of cooperation between the first and second estates, which often ends up with the enslavement of the third estate (figuratively and literally). At times help is forthcoming from the watchdog journalist of the fourth estate--unless they too have been overtaken by the first two estates.

Consider the case of Victor Thurgood, the honorable Mayor of Shady Valley. Not only is Victor the current Mayor of Shady Valley, duly elected by a majority of voters casting ballots in the most recent election, but at the age of 63 he has never held a nongovernment job. He has been on the Shady Valley city council, served as a state legislator for many years, spent several terms as a member of the U. S. House of Representatives, bounced around as a political appointee to assorted state and federal government agencies, and was most recently Ambassador to the Republic of Northwest Queoldiolia. Moreover, Victor's father, mother, grandfather, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews have had similar employment histories. Victor Thurgood is a member of the first estate.

<= FIRST-DEGREE PRICE DISCRIMINATIONFIRST RULE OF SCARCITY =>


Recommended Citation:

FIRST ESTATE, AmosWEB Encyclonomic WEB*pedia, http://www.AmosWEB.com, AmosWEB LLC, 2000-2025. [Accessed: July 5, 2025].


Check Out These Related Terms...

     | four estates | second estate | third estate | fourth estate |


Or For A Little Background...

     | government functions | public sector | private sector |


And For Further Study...

     | ownership and control | distribution standards | economic system | economic goals | seven economic rules |


Search Again?

Back to the WEB*pedia


APLS

YELLOW CHIPPEROON
[What's This?]

Today, you are likely to spend a great deal of time watching the shopping channel trying to buy either one of those memory foam pillows or a remote controlled train set. Be on the lookout for rusty deck screws.
Your Complete Scope

This isn't me! What am I?

Post WWI induced hyperinflation in German in the early 1900s raised prices by 726 million times from 1918 to 1923.
"Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work."

-- Peter Drucker, management consultant

BEA
Bureau of Economic Analisys
A PEDestrian's Guide
Xtra Credit
Tell us what you think about AmosWEB. Like what you see? Have suggestions for improvements? Let us know. Click the User Feedback link.

User Feedback



| AmosWEB | WEB*pedia | GLOSS*arama | ECON*world | CLASS*portal | QUIZ*tastic | PED Guide | Xtra Credit | eTutor | A*PLS |
| About Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Statement |

Thanks for visiting AmosWEB
Copyright ©2000-2025 AmosWEB*LLC
Send comments or questions to: WebMaster