Étatique

Étatique is a French adjective derived from the noun État (state). It denotes something relating to the state, its institutions, power, or authority. In political discourse, étatique is used to describe policies, actors, or processes characterized by direct involvement or control by the state. The term can carry neutral descriptive or evaluative connotations depending on context.

In everyday and scholarly usage, étatique contrasts with private or municipal spheres, though the boundaries can blur in mixed economies. Expressions such as intervention étatique, contrôle étatique, and appareil étatique are common; the latter is often used in sociology to refer to the state apparatus.

Economically, étatique frequently appears in discussions of state involvement in the economy: state-owned enterprises (entreprises étatiques), regulation, or planning. The related concept of capitalisme d'État (state capitalism) describes an economic system in which the state controls the means of production and strategic industries, while remaining embedded in a market framework.

Historically, the prominence of étatique policies has varied by political ideology and period, from statist or dirigist models to periods of liberalization or privatization. In contemporary discourse, the term can indicate advocacy for a stronger state role or, sometimes, a critical stance toward excessive state control.

See also: étatisme, capitalisme d'État, nationalisation, secteur public, intervention étatique, pouvoir étatique, appareil d'État.