English Dictionary

bread and circuses

IPA（発音記号）

/ˈbɹɛd ənd ˈsəː.kəs.əz/

名詞

慣用表現 複数形 複数形のみ 広義

Food and entertainment provided by the state, particularly if intended to placate the people. / (by extension) Grand spectacles staged or statements made to distract and pacify people.

日本語の意味

国家が国民をなだめるために提供する食料と娯楽、つまり、政治権力が民衆の不満をそらすために与える食事や娯楽を指す。 / 民衆を注意散漫にし、支配を維持するための大々的な娯楽行事や政策を意味する。

The government relied on bread and circuses to distract the public from rising inequality.

政府は、格差の拡大から国民の目をそらすために国家が提供する食料と娯楽に頼った。

意味（1）

Food and entertainment provided by the state, particularly if intended to placate the people.

The government of William Ewart Gladstone may not supply the people, as the Roman emperors did, with bread and circuses, but if giving them plenty to talk about can satisfy a nation, we Britishers ought just now to be very happy. A whole week is never permitted to elapse without some piece of political gaucherie being enacted for the public amusement.]

意味（2）

(by extension) Grand spectacles staged or statements made to distract and pacify people.

One thing which this study makes evident is that the Welfare State fantasy is usually conjured up by some scheming politician posing as a public benefactor and using bread and circuses, paid for by the people's own money, to buy the support of the populace.