Enamusriiki

Enamusriiki is a theoretical term used in political science and sociology to describe a hypothetical sovereign state where political authority is dominated by a defined majority group. The word combines Estonian roots enam (majority) and riik (state), and is employed to discuss how majority rule can shape institutions, policies, and social life in a country.

In conceptual usage, enamusriiki refers to a system in which the majority group exercises de facto or de jure control, with institutions and policies that largely reflect majority interests. Minority protections may be limited or framed primarily as formal rights within a constitutional order. The term emphasizes the dynamics of power concentrated in a single group and the potential implications for governance and social cohesion.

Enamusriiki is related to, but distinct from, concepts such as ethnocracy and majoritarian democracy. It is often used in theoretical debates about legitimacy, stability, and the balance between majority rule and minority rights. Some scholars use it to contrast liberal, pluralist democracies—where power-sharing and protections for minorities are built into the system—with models that foreground majority dominance.

Criticism of the concept focuses on its potential to normalize or legitimate exclusionary policies and to encourage essentialist identities. Critics argue that the term may oversimplify complex political realities or overlook mechanisms for protecting minority rights within majority-led systems. There are no widely recognized sovereign states officially labeled enamusriiki; it remains a theoretical construct in discussions of majority-rule dynamics.