Examples Of Ecclesiocracy In The Crucible

Theocracy in Government Corruption being so incessant in our current society, is also a common element within The Crucible. We deal with corrupt politicians and hidden agendas frequently. It is not uncommon for changes to be made in the government, and the public not be aware of it until much later. The Crucible demonstrated these dishonorable and suspicious acts in their own former government. Salem was being overrun with the absolute power of a theocracy, God was speaking to a selected priest and if they were telling anything other than the pure truth, corruption of power was present. When the priest himself and the people of Salem had began creating accusations of performing denounced activities, perjury had became a frequent occurrence

Often confused with ecclesiocracy, in which the church is controlling the government, with no direct communication with their god (Wise Geek). “The two terms identify, a law-giver in any society (theocracy), as opposed to rule by an ensconced institutional religious leadership (ecclesiocracy)” (American vision). In The Crucible, we get a glimpse of this. A group of afflicted young women had began to make accusations, and the priest had agreed with these allegations. “Theocratic rulers are guided specifically by their religious beliefs and might see themselves as emissaries of their god who are meant to rule their people” (Wise Geek). The priest had believed himself to be Salem’s emissary. The people present during this horrific span of time had endured mass hysteria. It was not uncommon for them to believe that their next door neighbor could perhaps be a ‘witch’. “The Salem Witch Trials officially began in February of 1692, when the afflicted girls accused the first three victims, Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne, of witchcraft” (History of Mass). The young women had been protecting their own religion by creating a scapegoat out of the three devil involved women. These women set off what became a year to