is a
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
phrase meaning the existing
state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the
sociological
Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociology was coined in ...
sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the current state of social structure or values.
With regard to policy debate, it means how conditions are contrasted with a possible change. For example: "The countries are now trying to maintain the ''status quo'' with regard to their nuclear arsenals." To maintain the ''status quo'' is to keep things the way they presently are.
The related phrase ''
status quo ante'', literally 'the status before', refers to the state of affairs that existed previously.
Political usage
The status quo may be changed via
social movements
A social movement is either a loosely or carefully organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal, typically a social or political one. This may be to carry out a social change, or to resist or undo one. It is a type of ...
. These seek to alleviate or prevent a particular issue and often to shape social feeling and cultural expression of a society or nation.
Advocating to improve the status quo is a persuasive
rhetorical device
In rhetoric, a rhetorical device, persuasive device, or stylistic device is a technique that an author or speaker uses to convey to the listener or reader a meaning with the goal of persuading them towards considering a topic from a perspective, ...
. This is sometimes critiqued as a policy of deliberate ambiguity as not formalizing or defining the adverse situation.
Economist
Clark Kerr reportedly said: "The status quo is the only solution that cannot be
veto
A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president (government title), president or monarch vetoes a bill (law), bill to stop it from becoming statutory law, law. In many countries, veto powe ...
ed."
Karl Marx
Karl Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist, economist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best-known for the 1848 pamphlet '' The Communist Manifesto'' (written with Friedrich Engels) ...
viewed organized religion as a means for the
bourgeoisie
The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and aristocracy. They are traditionally contrasted wi ...
to keep the
proletariat content with an unequal status quo.
See also
*
Conservatism
Conservatism is a Philosophy of culture, cultural, Social philosophy, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, Convention (norm), customs, and Value (ethics and social science ...
**
Shukyū-ha
*
Status quo bias
*
Status quo ante bellum
*
Speaker Denison's rule
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List of Latin phrases
This is a list of Wikipedia articles of Latin phrases and their translation into English.
To view all phrases on a single, lengthy document, see: List of Latin phrases (full).
Lists of pages
* List of Latin phrases (A)
* List of Latin phrases ( ...
*
Status Quo (Jerusalem and Bethlehem)
References
{{Reflist
Latin words and phrases
Change
Cognitive inertia