fourth estate
FORTH ih-STAYT
fɔːrθ ɪˈsteɪtListen
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Dictionary meaning
a designation for the press and journalism as an unofficial but essential pillar of democratic governance, alongside the three formal estates of government: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary; the term is attributed to Edmund Burke and popularised in Thomas Carlyle's writings, reflecting the Enlightenment understanding that a free press acts as a watchdog on power, informs citizens, and provides accountability that complements the formal separation of powers; the fourth estate's independence from government is considered essential for democracy, and its erosion is treated as a key indicator of democratic backsliding
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