neontocracy

noun

1. Any society in which young children are highly valued (despite their relatively low social utility in objective terms); the practice, prevalent in the West, of so valuing young children.

   But looking at the neontocracy from up, down, and sideways—that is, cross-culturally, historically, and holistically—leads quickly to the realization that in many cases, institutional attention to families benefits the institutions themselves more than it aids families.

Where it comes from

Coined by American anthropologist David Lancy and popularised through his 2008 book The Anthropology of Childhood; modelled on and contrasted with gerontocracy (“society in which elders are esteemed”).

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry neontocracy (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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