coercion
/koʊˈɝʃən/ · co.er.cion
noun
- Actual or threatened force for the purpose of compelling action by another person; the act of coercing. The government was accused of using coercion to suppress the opposition party.
- Use of physical or moral force to compel a person to do something, or to abstain from doing something, thereby depriving that person of the exercise of free will. The court ruled that the confession was obtained through coercion and was therefore inadmissible as evidence.
- A specific instance of coercing. The police were accused of coercion in their handling of the suspect during the interrogation.
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Did you know? The concept of coercion has been a topic of interest in various fields, including philosophy, psychology, and law, with many notable thinkers, such as John Stuart Mill and Jean-Paul Sartre, discussing its implications on human freedom and autonomy. The word 'coercion' has been used in many significant court cases, including those related to human rights and civil liberties.