gattopardism

English

Etymology

Ultimately from the novel The Leopard (Italian: Il Gattopardo) by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.

Noun

gattopardism (uncountable)

1. The creation of political reforms that are only apparent rather than substantial.
   • 1991, The Federalist, volume 33, page 33:

     To sum up, the old principle of leaving things as they are, the worst forms of transformism and gattopardism, the prevalence of diplomacy over politics, of Guicciardini over Machiavelli, to quote Gramsci, crushed any real possibility of innovation in Europe.

Related terms

• Gattopardian

Translations

Translations

• French: gattopardisme m
• Italian: gattopardismo (it) m
• Spanish: gatopardismo m