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hegemony (noun) – The predominance of one state or social group over others.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : Hegemony comes to English from the Greek h?gemonia, a noun formed from the verb h?geisthai (“to lead”), which also gave us the word exegesis (meaning “exposition” or “explanation”). Hegemony was first used in English in the mid-16th century in reference to the control once wielded by the ancient Greek states, and it was reapplied in later centuries as other nations subsequently rose to power.

By the 19th century, it had acquired a second sense referring to the social or cultural influence wielded by a dominant member over others of its kind, such as the domination within an industry by a business conglomerate over smaller businesses.

Peter is a fourth-generation New Zealander, with his mother's and father's folks having arrived in New Zealand in the 1870s. He lives in Lower Hutt with his wife, some cats and assorted computers. His...