intergovernmentalism

noun

An approach to political integration that regards states, and national governments in particular, as the primary actors in the integration process.

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Meanings

nounintergovernmentalism (uncountable)
  1. uncountablepolitical scienceAn approach to political integration that regards states, and national governments in particular, as the primary actors in the integration process.

    There is a slew of treaties, organizations and agencies that form the scaffolding of the emerging global governance structure regulating and superintending everything from nuclear weapons to the fishing of halibut, and all of them embody electionless intergovernmentalism.

    2016 January 21, Leigh Phillips, “Electionless inter-governmentalism über alles”, in ROAR Magazine

Origin

From intergovernmental + -ism or inter- + governmentalism.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

intergovernmentalism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intergovernmentalism

MLA

“intergovernmentalism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intergovernmentalism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “intergovernmentalism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intergovernmentalism.

Source: intergovernmentalism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.