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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Vocabulary

Change by fiat

Hello

Can you explain me, what's the meaning of "change by fiat". I've searched in dictionaries, but I haven't found it.... It would be very nice, if someone could explain me this expression or translate it into german. The whole sentence is "institutions can be changed by fiat".

Thanks a lot [K]

Patrizia from Switzerland
  

Top answer

Hello, Patrizia. I cannot change it into German for you-- my high school German is decades in the past-- but I can tell you that 'by fiat' means either 'by government order' or 'by someone with strong authority simply commanding it'. In the case of the latter meaning, it is often used in contrast to a more democratic method of deciding something.

— Mister Micawber

  • Hello, Patrizia.
  • I cannot change it into German for you-- my high school German is decades in the past-- but I can tell you that 'by fiat' means either 'by government order' or 'by someone with strong authority simply commanding it'.
  • In the case of the latter meaning, it is often used in contrast to a more democratic method of deciding something.
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2 Answers
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Hello, Patrizia.

I cannot change it into German for you-- my high school German is decades in the past-- but I can tell you that 'by fiat' means either 'by government order' or 'by someone with strong authority simply commanding it'. In the case of the latter meaning, it is often used in contrast to a more democratic method of deciding something.
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http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiat

Literally "let there be" from Latin. Which is why we use it in the way Mister Micawber described in politics.

"Fiat lux" - let there be light.
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