statism

Noun

statism (uncountable)

1. (derogatory, obsolete) Synonym of secularism: subservience of religious issues to political officials and expediency.
   • Religion turned into Statisme, will soone prooue Atheisme.1609, William Barlow, An Answer to a Catholike English-man, page 370

   Synonyms:

   secularism

2. (obsolete) Synonym of statecraft or statesmanship.
   • My great Cousin hauing euermore
     From my greene yeares accepted my aduise
     In points of statisme...1608, J. F. Le Petit, translated by Edward Grimeston, General History of the Netherlands, page 1113

   Synonyms:

   statecraft or statesmanship

3. (archaic) Synonym of government or governance.
   • [The Ten Commandments] have formed the basis of every system of statism adopted by the civilized communities of the earth.1839, John Hobart Caunter, Poetry of the Pentateuch, page 189

   Synonyms:

   government or governance

4. (derogatory, often, political philosophy) The belief that most or all political power should be centralized in national governments.
   • Near-synonyms: big government, dirigisme
   • Bismarck... believes in State insurance in State activities, in place of individual action. But this is not Socialism. It is Statism.1890, W.D.P. Bliss, What is Christian Socialism?, page 21

   Synonyms:

   etatism, authoritarianism, totalitarianism, big government, dirigisme

5. (derogatory, often, political philosophy) The belief that most or nearly all political power should be decentralized to provincial governments.
   • The joint note of Austria and Prussia... appears thus to have worked more good than moderation and good sense generally achieve over faction and petty-Statism.1854 July 1, The Times, London, p. 9
   • To him... we owe that sentiment of nationalism prevailing over statism... without which the Union would have parted.1875, A.H. Bullock, Intellectual Leadership Illustrated in American History, page 37

   Synonyms:

   regionalism, federalism, provincialism

6. (derogatory, often, political philosophy) The belief that the state is a legitimate social institution.

   Antonyms:

   anarchism