Category talk:Theocrats

Inclusion criteria are poorly defined

It would seem that the inclusion criteria for this category are poorly defined. Surely the Catholic Monarchs of Spain represent a well-known historical example, as do contemporary Iranian rulers, but inclusion is questionable for any article that does not directly tackle the subject of theocracy by name, and that would be most of them. I haven't surveyed this category and its children yet, but I suspect that I would ctrl-F very few instances of "theocr" in those articles, much less claims backed up by analysis in WP:RS. So per WP:CATV, I must insist that articles placed into this category should have explicit mentions, or we will have trouble with verifiability. Elizium23 (talk) 05:35, 19 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Using the term 'theocrat' in the article isn't necessary (nor sufficient) for inclusion in a category of the same name. But you're right, we do need a definition of some sort here explaining what warrants inclusion; if the category is worthwhile at all. The definitions of 'Theocrat' vary quite a bit, from someone who simply lives under a theocracy, someone being 'in favor' of theocracy, and advocate of theocracy, to a leading figure in a theocratic government. (From various dictionaries:)

one who rules in or lives under a theocratic form of government (too broad)
one who favors a theocratic form of government (too broad and hard to prove)
an advocate of a system of government in which priests' rule in the name of God or a god" (Maybe a sub-category of theocracy advocates?)
a person who rules, governs as a representative of God or a deity, or is a member of the ruling group in a theocracy, as a divine king or a high priest

I think the most useful for a category would be an advocate of a system of government. I.e. someone who is known for advocating theocracy; not necessarily leaders of theocracies (because the list will be huge, and mostly just sub-categories of monarchs of certain countries in certain time periods (i.e. all pharoahs, arguably most western monarchs who ascribe to the Divine right of kings etc.) Theocracy might be a better category for some of the more conceptual candidates JeffUK (talk) 15:25, 19 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]