Coercion Definition and Examples | Generated by AI
Question: What does “coercion” mean?
Answer:
Coercion is the practice of persuading or forcing someone to do something by using threats, intimidation, pressure, or other forms of compulsion, rather than through voluntary agreement or free choice.
Key aspects:
- It involves overpowering someone’s will (they act against their own desires or judgment).
- Common methods: physical threats, emotional blackmail, economic pressure, psychological manipulation, or abuse of authority.
- Opposite of consent: actions done under coercion are not considered truly voluntary.
Examples:
- Threatening to harm someone if they don’t hand over money → criminal coercion/extortion.
- Pressuring an employee into working unpaid overtime by threatening to fire them → workplace coercion.
- Forcing someone into a contract by threatening their family → the contract may be voidable due to coercion.
In law (varies by jurisdiction), coercion can make agreements, confessions, or actions legally invalid or constitute a crime itself.