Words & TermsPolitics and public life
faceless men
Unelected party powerbrokers, especially in the historical Australian Labor political expression.
In a sentence
In this historical or contextual use, “faceless men” means unelected party powerbrokers, especially in the historical Australian Labor political expression.
Where it came from
The phrase became nationally prominent in the 1963 federal political controversy over ALP federal council delegates.
- Initial era
- 1900–1949
- Where used
- Australian use; no narrower regional pattern established