social murder

English

Etymology

Calque of German sozialer Mord, first attested in Friedrich Engels' Die Lage der arbeitenden Klasse in England. Engels attributes the phrase to English workers' newspapers.

Noun

social murder (plural social murders)

1. (politics) The knowing causing of the inevitable premature death of members of an oppressed class by deliberately and structurally exposing them to potentially lethal conditions.

Usage notes

Primarily used by leftist commentators who consider such deaths premeditated and not incidental, may be considered offensive by others.

Translations

systemic causation of premature death

• Dutch: sociale moord m
• German: sozialer Mord m