social democracy

noun

1. a political ideology advocating a gradual transition to socialism or a modified form of socialism by and under democratic political processes.
2. a system of government achieved in this way:

   Sweden’s social democracy.

3. Social Democracy, the principles and policies of any of certain Social Democratic parties, especially in Europe.

social democracy

noun

1. sometimes capital the beliefs, principles, practices, or programme of a Social Democratic Party or of social democrats

Derived Forms

• social democratic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of social democracy¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

In its history of dreamers versus big business, the Hollywood Bowl has strived, often with difficulty, to be a model of artistic and social democracy.

From Los Angeles Times

Chile and Argentina were also considered models of the “free market” economics and destruction of social democracy that the American right wants to fully impose on this country.

From Salon

DeSantis’ Orwellian thought crime regime is an extension of a decades-long campaign by the American right-wing and “conservative” movement to destroy public education as part of a much larger project to end social democracy.

From Salon

The Trumpian false utopia promises the benefits of social democracy, in other words, without compelling the ruling class to pay for them.

From Salon

The social democracy movement launched by Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal “ran aground in the 1970s,” UC Berkeley economist Brad DeLong told me a year ago.

From Los Angeles Times