supremacy

Supremacy refers to the belief or assertion that something or someone is superior to all others and therefore rightful in rank, authority, or power. It is often used to describe ideologies that claim inherent superiority of a group or entity over others. From the Latin supremus, the term has broad applications in politics, religion, and social theory. In everyday language, it can denote preeminence of a state, institution, or principle.

In political and social contexts, supremacy often takes the form of a doctrine that legitimizes discrimination or exclusion on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or nationality. Historical and contemporary usages include white supremacy, male supremacy, religious supremacy, and national supremacy. Such ideologies have motivated segregation, imperialism, colonization, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and other human rights abuses. Critics describe supremacy as inherently hierarchical and incompatible with equal rights and dignity. Proponents may frame it as protection of tradition, culture, or identity, but the dominant ethical and legal consensus rejects discrimination on the basis of innate characteristics.

In law and governance, supremacy can refer to the primacy of a higher authority within a system, such as constitutional supremacy where a constitution stands above ordinary laws, or the claim of a central authority over regional powers. The term is also used in international relations to discuss hegemonic power or geopolitical dominance.

Contemporary discourse often situates supremacy in tension with egalitarian principles, civil rights, and anti-discrimination norms. Scholarly work distinguishes descriptive uses of the term from normative judgments and emphasizes the societal harms associated with supremacist ideologies.