Fabian

adj.

1. 1. Of or relating to the caution and avoidance of direct confrontation typical of the Roman general Quintus Fabius Maximus.
   2. Cautious or dilatory, as in taking action.
2. Of, relating to, or being a member of the Fabian Society, which was committed to gradual rather than revolutionary means for spreading socialist principles.

[Latin Fabiānus, after Quintus FABIUS MAXIMUS VERRUCOSUS.]

Fabian Fa'bi·an n.
Fabianism Fa'bi·an·ism n.
Fabianist Fa'bi·an·ist n.

The Fabian Society, which was established in London in 1884, took its name from Fabius Cunctator, the Roman General who applied carefully conceived tactics of preparation, attrition, and judicious timing of attack in defeating Hannibal. Fabianism refers especially to a particular position within British socialism, originally espoused by Sidney and Beatrice Webb and George Bernard Shaw, three of the most prominent early Fabians. The early Fabians concentrated on the research of social issues, the results of which were forwarded in arguments for reform to intellectuals and leaders within both the Independent Labour Party and the Liberal Party. After the First World War the Fabian Society affiliated to the Labour Party, becoming a less high-profile group after the 1930s, but providing a basis for a more diverse set of socialist intellectuals to conduct debate on any issue of interest to the Labour Party.

The Webbs and Shaw believed in a Ricardian theory of rent, which determined that one part of rent should be apportioned to society, or, in practice, the state acting on behalf of society. This was the justification for progressive taxation to fund state expenditure directed at correcting social inequalities. State policies at both national and local levels were to aim at creating a ‘national minimum’ of social welfare which would liberate all individuals to fulfil their talents and act as good citizens. Thus, political democracy enshrined in the right to vote could be extended to a social democracy in which the values and injustices of unfettered capitalism could be eroded. At the same time, the Fabians advocated that the state should be staffed by trained experts in public administration, capable of rational consideration of public policy, dedicated to public service for the general good, and, thus, successful in delivering social democracy. The emphasis on the role of trained intelligence in good government derived from contempt for ‘amateur’ administrators, who by default had facilitated unfettered capitalism.

The Fabian approach to political action by way of calm intellectual reflection and considered rational planning, and advocacy that social democracy be engineered by a meritocratic state elite, have appealed to successive generations of senior parliamentary Labour Party figures and to socialists overseas, such as Nehru. Fabianism has been charged with being based on inherently elitist assumptions, born of its adherents' generally relatively comfortable upbringings and university education, and with ignoring the role of markets, in which benevolent administrators have a smaller role than in planned societies. With the advent of the modernization of the Labour Party from the mid-1980s, however, the Fabian Society has remained a forum for the debate of a diverse set of issues following the assumption of a smaller and territorially decentralized post-Thatcherite state.

— Jonathan Bradbury

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The adjective has one meaning:

Meaning #1: using cautious slow strategy to wear down opposition; avoiding direct confrontation
  Synonym: dilatory

---

Dansk (Danish)
n. - medlem af the Fabian Society
adj. - nølende, henholdende, som tilhører the Fabian Society

Nederlands (Dutch)
lid van de Fabian Society, van/over de Fabian Society, behoedzaam (m.n. tactiek)

Français (French)
n. - (GB, Pol, Hist) Fabian (parti travailliste en Angleterre)
adj. - Fabian, prudent

Deutsch (German)
n. - Fabianer (Anhänger des Fabianismus)
adj. - fabianisch, Verzögerungs-

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - φαβιανός, μέλος της Φαβιανής Εταιρίας
adj. - φαβιανός, της Φαβιανής Εταιρίας

Italiano (Italian)
fabiano

Português (Portuguese)
n. - fabiano (m) (membro da sociedade fabiana) (Pol.)
adj. - fabiano (membro da Força Aérea Brasileira), cauteloso

Русский (Russian)
фабианец, выжидательная тактика, осторожный

Español (Spanish)
n. - fabiano, miembro de la sociedad fabiana de socialistas británicos
adj. - fabiano, contemporizador

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - medlem av Fabian Society (1884 bildat socialistiskt samfund)
adj. - försiktig (efter den romerske generalen Fabius Maximus 'Cunctator'), förhalnings-

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
费边主义, 费边式的, 谨慎渐进的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 費邊主義
adj. - 費邊式的, 謹慎漸進的

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 페이비언 협회회원
adj. - 결전을 피하며 기습 따위로 골탕먹인

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - フェビアン協会会員, 男子名
adj. - 持久策の, フェビアン協会の

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) فابي : عضو في الجمعيه الفابيه التي أنشئت في انكلترا عام 1884 (صفه) فابي : ذو صله بالفابيه , حذر , متأن‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פאביאני - סוציאליסט הדוגל בהתפתחות הדרגתית לקראת סוציאליזם‬
adj. - ‮משתמט מהכרעה, משהה, זהיר, הססן‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.

lara fabian