reformism
Change without revolution
Reformism is the belief that gradual change within existing systems is preferable to revolutionary upheaval.
In political contexts, it describes the approach of working through established institutions—elections, legislation, incremental policy shifts—rather than seeking to overthrow them: The party abandoned its radical roots for reformism.
Critics from the left use it dismissively to suggest timidity or co-optation.
Change through small steps
- gradualismPhilosophy of incremental change
- ameliorationMaking something less bad
- moderationAvoidance of excess
- pragmatismPractical problem-solving philosophy
compromise · consensus · middle-ground · conciliation · temperance · cautious · measured · step-by-step
Official enactment of statutes
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
- democracyRule by the people
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
- bipartisanshipCooperation between political rivals
coalition · governance · policy · advocacy · diplomacy · amendment · regulation · progressivism
Thorough change in form
- improvementPositive change in quality
- revisionAltering to improve
- overhaulComplete systematic repair
- modernizationAdoption of current methods
rectification · refinement · correction · restructuring · rehabilitation · renewal · revitalization · renovation
Violent governmental overthrow
- radicalismPursuit of sweeping change
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- militancyCombative advocacy stance
- maximalismMore-is-more aesthetic philosophy
rupture · overthrow · upheaval · extremism · confrontation · agitation · dissent · resistance
incrementalism
Change through small steps
- gradualismPhilosophy of incremental change
- ameliorationMaking something less bad
- moderationAvoidance of excess
pragmatism · compromise · consensus · middle-ground · conciliation · temperance · cautious · measured · step-by-step · piecemeal
legislation
Official enactment of statutes
- parliamentNational legislative assembly
- democracyRule by the people
- lobbyingAdvocating to decision-makers
bipartisanship · coalition · governance · policy · advocacy · diplomacy · amendment · regulation · progressivism · liberalism
transformation
Thorough change in form
- improvementPositive change in quality
- revisionAltering to improve
- overhaulComplete systematic repair
modernization · rectification · refinement · correction · restructuring · rehabilitation · renewal · revitalization · renovation · regeneration
revolution
Violent governmental overthrow
- radicalismPursuit of sweeping change
- insurrectionViolent uprising against authority
- militancyCombative advocacy stance
maximalism · rupture · overthrow · upheaval · extremism · confrontation · agitation · dissent · resistance · counterrevolution
- ideologiescapitalism, communism, conservatism, liberalism, socialism
- Social Democracysocial democracy, social democrats, democratic socialism, welfare state, mixed economy
- Turkish RepublicAnkara, Treaty of Lausanne, Latin alphabet, secularism, secular state
- beliefsbelief, beliefs, creed, creeds, faith
- conversionsconvert, exchange rate, encoding, transcoding, reformatting
- political ideologiesconservatism, conservative, anarchism, liberalism, liberal
reformismrevolutionary politics
Advocacy for fundamental governmental change
violent overthrow · Maoism · armed struggle · accelerationism · maximalism
reformismconservatism
Preference for existing institutions
reactionism · reaction · traditionalism · status quo · counterrevolution
- catalytic reformingChemical upgrading of naphtha