Broligarchy (bro + oligarchy)
“Broligarch” (bro + oligarch) and “broligarchy” (bro + oligarchy) are terms to describe people such as Elon Musk (X/Twitter) and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) and Jeff Bezos (Amazon)—men who run very influential tech companies. The terms became popular in 2024 and 2025, but had been used infrequently in earlier years.
“broligarchy—When a small group of bros run a break” was posted on the newsgroup rec.windsurfing on July 13, 2003. “the broligarchy has spoken. you are cool” was posted on X/Twitter by Andre (The Wet Gamer) Cole on December 7, 2009. “New word: ‘broligarch:’ a member of the bro-lite (doucheoisie)” was posted on X/Twitter by “wanton tarnation” on April 26, 2010. “Broligarchy A small cadre of Bros who snatch control of any scenario” was entered in the Urban Dictionary on August 7, 2011.
Wikipedia: Broligarchy
Broligarchy is a neologism and portmanteau combining oligarchy and broism describing the rule of government by a coterie of extremely wealthy men (occupying leadership roles in the tech companies and tech-enabled businesses) who are perceived by the public as tech bros. It is also known as tech oligarchy.
Origin of the term
According to Prospect magazine, “Broligarchy appears in surfer language in the early 2000s “when a small group of bros run a break”—referring to locals controlling a surf spot.” The modern use of the terms broligarch and broligarchy can be traced to a Twitter post in 2009. Broligarchy appeared on Urban Dictionary in 2011. The terms gained wide adoption on social media during the 2024 US presidential election and the second Trump presidency. In a tweet on X in March 2024, Condé Nast editor Luke Zaleski called Elon Musk “the world’s first broligarch”.
Wiktionary: broligarch
Etymology
Blend of bro + oligarch.
Noun
broligarch (plural broligarchs)
1. (neologism, politics) An extremely wealthy man who holds inordinate power or influence within a political structure, especially while espousing a range of views regarded as anti-democratic, technofascist, and masculinist.
Wiktionary: boligarchy
Etymology
Blend of bro + oligarchy.
Noun
broligarchy (countable and uncountable, plural broligarchies)
1. (neologism, politics) A small group of ultrawealthy men who exert inordinate control or influence within a political structure, particularly while espousing views regarded as anti-democratic, technofascist, and masculinist.
Google Groups: rec.windsurfing
The Complete Broisms Dictionary
Weed Fin
Jul 13, 2003, 9:00:31 PM
(...)
broligarchy—When a small group of bros run a break.
Example: “Jason, Josh, and Sage think they have a Broligarchy—they told me
to leave the pier yesterday, and now I can’t rip there.”
X/Twitter
Andre (The Wet Gamer) Cole
@coolsl4w
@calpicosky the broligarchy has spoken. you are cool.
9:22 PM · Dec 7, 2009
X/Twitter
peter rabbit
@hmchaucer
@CountFenring: Does this mean I am a honorary female member of the broligarchy? Brosome.
9:31 PM · Dec 7, 2009
X/Twitter
wanton tarnation 🏳️🌈🇵🇸
@mister_smiley
New word: “broligarch:” a member of the bro-lite (doucheoisie). E.g. “Lodge, Pike, and SigEp are the key broligarchs of the doucheoisie.”
1:12 PM · Apr 26, 2010
X/Twitter
The Jack Ginnivan Memorial Library
@ZofranAggie
@Brothalinds my son, why were you up so late? Pondering the regulative principle again? I warned you about that theology stuff. #broligarchy
11:06 PM · Mar 20, 2011
Urban Dictionary
Broligarchy
A small cadre of Bros who snatch control of any scenario.
I tried to play beer-pong at that party last night, but that table was such a fuckin’ broligarchy.
by TCCdablumen August 07, 2011
X/Twitter
Anarchy is Communism’s Ultimate Form
@carpepax
@MarkZuckerbe1rg
had the option of not selling our information to political ad agencies. It’s definitely not all humans’ fault. All we wanted was a social media platform and occasionally put up with ads. Now I say we should demand a cut of @facebook’s profits. #Broligarch #PayUp
11:57 PM · Mar 23, 2018
Bluesky
Dan Speak
@danspeak.bsky.social
Fight the broligarchy!
open.substack.com/pub/thinkbig…
The Broligarchs Have Arrived. And They’re Coming For Our Democracy.
The disturbing truth behind the tech bros who are trying to send JD Vance to the White House.
open.substack.com
August 1, 2024 at 4:21 PM
The Atlantic
The Broligarchs Are Trying to Have Their Way
The antidemocratic politics of having it all
By Brooke Harrington
August 4, 2024
Eight years ago, the PayPal and Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel was an outlier in liberal Silicon Valley for publicly supporting Donald Trump. But now a number of prominent male tech plutocrats who previously opposed the former president have done an about-face: These broligarchs are publicly endorsing and donating to the Republican candidate—and revealing a lot about their own priorities.
X/Twitter
CletusVanDamme
@CubbiesFan82
Elon is the world’s first Broligarch.
Quote
Liam Nissan™
@theliamnissan
Aug 29, 2024
Elon Musk went full MAGA.
(You never go full MAGA)
2:37 PM · Aug 29, 2024
The Atlantic
What the Broligarchs Want From Trump
Tremendous power is flowing to tech and finance magnates.
By Brooke Harrington
November 24, 2024
(...)
Musk doesn’t always get what he wants; Trump picked Lutnick to be secretary of commerce instead. Even so, the broligarchs’ ascendancy on both the foreign- and domestic-policy fronts has taken many observers by surprise—including me, even though I wrote last August about the broligarchs’ deepening political alignment with Trump
Urban Dictionary
Broligarch
A very rich tech business leader with a great deal of political influence.
“it seems more than a coincidence that tech platforms owned by the new cadre of Broligarchs began leaning their influence in favour of the president on the day of his inauguration”
by TrumpSux January 20, 2025
Urban Dictionary
broligarch
A portmanteau of “bro” and “oligarch”. A broligarch refers to an ultra-wealthy man who uses his fortune and status to sway government policies, political agendas, and cultural narratives.
Broligarchs are often characterized by their bro culture and sneakers-with-suits vibes. Despite their laid-back image, they operate as political kingmakers, funding campaigns, lobbying, and shaping laws that align with their own interests. One minute they’re posting memes, the next they’re deciding tax policy.
(...)
by nejsimon January 21, 2025
NPR
What is the ‘broligarchy’?
May 3, 20257:14 PM ET
Heard on All Things Considered
By Mallory Yu and Don Gonyea
(...)
GONYEA: That was Kevin Hirten on Al Jazeera’s “The Take,” sociologist Brooke Harrington on “The Daily Show” and Bridie Jabour of The Guardian Australia. The broligarchy is a term that refers to the rich, well-connected tech bros now flexing real power inside the Trump administration - CEOs like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai of Google - both of which are among NPR’s financial sponsors - and others like Jeff Bezos and, of course, Elon Musk. It’s clear that these broligarchs have enormous influence not just in tech, but now in politics. What’s less clear is their agenda, ideology and the path that brought them to this moment. Member Station KQED’s internet culture podcast Close All Tabs recently released a two-part series about the broligarchy, and host Morgan Sung joins me now. Welcome.