Cybernation

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌsaɪ.bə(ɹ)ˈneɪ.ʃən/

Definitions

1. A framework in which governance is significantly influenced by digital technologies and automated systems, impacting both societal order and decision-making processes
2. An approach to societal organization that relies on advanced digital technologies to manage and regulate public affairs and cultural dynamics
3. A system of governance where digital and automated technologies play a central role in managing societal functions

Etymology: "Cybernation" is a blend of "cybernetic" and "automation," so it packs two ideas into one coinage: the study of control and communication in machines and living systems, and the replacement of human labour and decisions with automatic processes. The first half, "cyber-," traces back to the Greek "kybernetes," meaning steersman or pilot, a sense that gives the word its underlying image of guiding a vessel. The second half, "nation," is a plain English word for a people or polity, so the term is best understood as cyber- combined with nation. Put together, the sense is a state or society whose governing is shaped by machines and automated systems, rather than by people alone.