Rankism

Rankism is “abusive, discriminatory, and/or exploitative behavior towards
people because of their rank in a particular hierarchy”.[1] Rank-based
abuse underlies many other phenomena such as bullying, racism,
xenophobia, hazing, ageism, sexism, ableism, mentalism, antisemitism,
homophobia and transphobia.
Rankism can occur in any social hierarchy, such as governments,
corporations, families, non-profit organizations, and universities.
Rankism can take many forms, including:
• exploiting one’s position within a hierarchy to secure unwarranted
advantages and benefits (e.g. massive corporate bonuses);
• abusing a position of power (e.g., abusive parent or priest, corrupt
CEO, bully boss, prisoner abuse);
• using rank as a shield to get away with insulting or humiliating others
with impunity;
• using rank to maintain a position of power long after it can be
justified;
• exporting the rank achieved in one sphere of activity to claim
superior value as a person;
• exploiting rank that is illegitimately acquired or held (as in situations
resting on specious distinctions of social rank, such as racism,
sexism, intellectualism, wealth, religious beliefs, hereditary, marital
status, gang affiliation, criminal record, egotism or classism