Image via WikipediaFabian: noun - member of the Fabian Society, or a sympathizer with its ideals: adjective - pertaining to the manner of the cautious and delaying tactics employed by Roman general, Fabius Maximus; to wear out an enemy; pertaining to a socialist society founded in 1884, which advocates a policy of cautious and gradual political change.
For this definition, I felt I could do no better than include the introduction from the Fabian Society's own website:
The Fabian Society has played a central role for more than a century in the development of political ideas and public policy on the left of centre. Analysing the key challenges facing the UK and the rest of the industrialised world in a changing society and global economy, the society's programme aims to explore the political ideas and the policy reforms which will define progressive politics in the new century.
The society is unique among think-tanks in being a democratically-constituted membership organisation. It is affiliated to the Labour Party but is editorially and organisationally independent. Through its publications, seminars and conferences, the society provides an arena for open-minded public debate.
All Labour Prime Ministers have been members of the Fabian Society, while the Young Fabians have been influential in creating debate and as an arena for young people with an interest in politics to both influence and learn from influential political figures.
I must tell you, though, I have no affiliation to or connection with the Fabian Society. In fact, I think party politics is the antithesis of democracy and polarises opinion in the most unhelpful way. In a distortion of Groucho Marx's words, 'I wouldn't join any political party that would have me as a member.'
2 comments:
'Fabianism' is synonymous with 'socialism,' that is, 'Fabian' means 'socialist.' However, as an adjective 'fabian' means 'pertaining to using delaying tactics,' which interestingly is mostly resorted to by socialist labour unions.
— Venkatesan Iyengar
Interesting idea. In my experience, most politicians enjoy using delaying tactics, regardless of their political leanings. Only the extremists appear immune, and they're the very ones we'd prefer to delay!
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