polycentrism: Meaning and Definition of

pol•y•cen•trism

Pronunciation: (pol"ē-sen'triz-um), [key]
— n.
  1. the doctrine that a plurality of independent centers of leadership, power, or ideology may exist within a single political system, esp. Communism.
  2. the fact of having many centers of authority or importance: the polycentrism of American intellectual life.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.