paternalism

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

paternalism
    n 1: the attitude (of a person or a government) that
         subordinates should be controlled in a fatherly way for
         their own good

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Paternalism \Pa*ter"nal*ism\, n. (Polit. Science)
   The theory or practice of paternal government. See {Paternal
   government}, under {Paternal}. --London Times.
   [1913 Webster]