subversives
Those undermining authority
Subversives are people who work to undermine or overthrow an established system, government, or institution.
The term typically appears in political contexts, often from the perspective of those in power: The regime accused journalists of being subversives.
During the Cold War, suspected communists were labeled subversives.
The word carries connotations of secretive, destabilizing activity—though whether that activity is treasonous or heroic depends on who's judging.
Political objectors
- revolutionariesThose seeking systemic overthrow
- radicalsAdvocates for fundamental change
- agitatorsThose who incite disturbance
- insurgentsThose fighting established authority
activists · resistance · underground · rebels · seditionists · anarchists · militants · guerrillas
Thinks someone's guilty
- watchlistsLists of monitored subjects
- targetsIntended aims or marks
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- informantsPeople providing secret intelligence
files · dossiers · investigations · intelligence · profiling · tracking · counterintelligence · COINTELPRO
Those who incite discord
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
- counterculturalOpposing mainstream society
- iconoclastsAttackers of cherished beliefs
- artistsMakers of creative works
punks · satirists · nonconformists · transgressive · underground · zines · graffiti · manifestos
dissidents
Political objectors
- revolutionariesThose seeking systemic overthrow
- radicalsAdvocates for fundamental change
- agitatorsThose who incite disturbance
insurgents · activists · resistance · underground · rebels · seditionists · anarchists · militants · guerrillas · partisans
suspects
Thinks someone's guilty
- watchlistsLists of monitored subjects
- targetsIntended aims or marks
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
informants · files · dossiers · investigations · intelligence · profiling · tracking · counterintelligence · COINTELPRO · McCarthyism
provocateurs
Those who incite discord
- avant-gardeInnovative cultural pioneers
- counterculturalOpposing mainstream society
- iconoclastsAttackers of cherished beliefs
artists · punks · satirists · nonconformists · transgressive · underground · zines · graffiti · manifestos · censorship
- Iconoclastsheretics, freethinkers, dissidents, mavericks, radicals
- Fringe Groupsmilitias, extremists, radicals, separatists, dissidents
- Nonconformistsnonconformist, rebels, rebel, misfits, misfit
- dissidentsdissident, dissidents, dissenter, rebel, Sakharov
- insurgentsinsurgent, guerrillas, guerrilla, rebel, resistance fighters
- Leftistssocialists, communists, Marxists, anarcho-communists, democratic socialists
subversivesloyalists
Faithful to established authority
patriots · true believers · monarchists · nationalists · party faithful
subversivesconformists
Those obeying social norms
traditionalists · conservatives · upholders · guardians · enforcers
subversivesdefenders
Those who shield others
guardians · protectors · preservers · authorities · insiders
- subversive artExpression challenging power structures
- subversive humorComedy undermining established order
- subversive literatureWritings that threaten power structures
- subversive activityActions meant to overthrow authority
- subversive activitiesActions meant to undermine authority