Statism
Etymology
From “state,” via Latin status, “condition, standing, position,” which came to mean the organized political community. The -ism, drawn partly from French étatisme, names a general preference for state action over private or market solutions. It is used across the spectrum, since heavy state involvement can serve very different ends, and often appears as a criticism.
noun · /STAY-tiz-um/
A belief in a large, active role for the state in directing the economy and social life.
What it names
The variable in almost every policy fight — how much should the state do — named as a position in its own right rather than tied to left or right.
Example
Whether the plan counted as sensible planning or creeping statism depended almost entirely on the reader’s politics.
Related idea
Libertarianism is statism’s natural opposite, seeking to shrink the state’s role in both the economy and personal life.