Regressivism

Regressivism is a term used to critically denote policies, ideologies or philosophies that are characterized as advocating a reversal to ones long abandoned or deprecated.

Regressivism, sometimes called "reactionism", is in the same spectrum of political terms as progressivism and conservatism, and is used to distinguish between ideologies that advocate slow changes to those advocating a reversal.

More commonly, political reactionism is a characterization of the backwards political agenda. Many social debates involve some degree of reactionism, where conflicts arise between new scientific issues and their interpreted moral ramifications.

Two current examples, both in the field of medicine, are stem cell research and abortion. The Flat Earth Society is also an example of reactionism, as was the Arts and Crafts Movement in the 19th century.