laissez faire

See also: laissez-faire

English

WOTD – 13 July 2008

Alternative forms

• laissez-faire
• laisser faire, laisser-faire

Etymology

Borrowed from French laissez faire (“leave it be”, literally “let do”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlæs.eɪ ˌfeə(ɹ)/, /ˈleɪ.seɪ ˌfeə(ɹ)/

• Audio (US):

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• Audio (AU):

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Noun

laissez faire (uncountable)

1. (economics, politics) A policy of governmental non-interference in economic affairs.
2. A policy of non-interference by authority in any competitive process.

Translations

economics: a policy of governmental non-interference in economic affairs

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 放任 (zh) (fàngrèn), 不干涉 (zh) (bùgānshè), 自由放任 (zh) (zìyóufàngrèn)

• Finnish: laissez-faire-politiikka
• French: laissez-faire (fr) m, laisser-faire (fr) m
• Georgian: ჩაურევლობა (čaurevloba)
• German: Laissez-faire n
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Icelandic: afskiptaleysi stjórnvalda n
• Japanese: レッセフェール (ressefēru), 自由放任 (じゆうほうにん, jiyūhōnin)
• Malay: laissez-faire
• Portuguese: laissez-faire m
• Russian: невмеша́тельство (ru) n (nevmešátelʹstvo), лессе-фе́р m (lessɛ-fɛ́r)
• Swedish: laissez-faire (sv)

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:laissez faire.

Usage notes

• Usually spelled "laissez-faire" in its common attributive use.

Adjective

laissez faire (comparative more laissez faire, superlative most laissez faire)

1. (economics, politics) Practicing or representing governmental noninterference, or minimal interference, especially in economic affairs; pertaining to free-market capitalism.

   I think the city should take a laissez faire approach to this; getting involved would only make things worse.

2. (economics, politics) Advocating such noninterference.

   The Senator claims to be laissez faire, but he voted in favor of the subsidies.

3. (economics) Resulting from such noninterference.

   The price ceiling was well below the laissez faire price that demand would have supported, so there were always shortages.

4. (of a person) Avoiding interference in other people's affairs; choosing to live and let live.

Translations

economics, politics: practicing or representing governmental noninterference, or minimal interference

• Finnish: laissez-faire
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

politics: advocating such noninterference

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

economics: resulting from such noninterference

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

of a person: avoiding interference in other people's affairs

• Icelandic: afskiptalaus m, afskiptaleysis- (is)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

See also

• benign neglect
• hands off
• laissez aller
• laissez passer
• let it be
• let nature take its course

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French

Noun

laissez faire m (uncountable)

1. (rare) Dated form of laisser-faire.

Verb

laissez faire

1. second-person plural present indicative of laisser faire
2. second-person plural imperative of laisser faire