individualism


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in·di·vid·u·al·ism

 (ĭn′də-vĭj′o͞o-ə-lĭz′əm)
n.
1.
a. Belief in the primary importance of the individual and in the virtues of self-reliance and personal independence.
b. Acts or an act based on this belief.
2.
a. A doctrine advocating freedom from government regulation in the pursuit of a person's economic goals.
b. A doctrine holding that the interests of the individual should take precedence over the interests of the state or social group.
3.
a. The quality of being an individual; individuality.
b. An individual characteristic; a quirk.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

individualism

(ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəˌlɪzəm)
n
1. the action or principle of asserting one's independence and individuality; egoism
2. an individual quirk or peculiarity
3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) another word for laissez faire1
4. (Philosophy) philosophy the doctrine that only individual things exist and that therefore classes or properties have no reality. Compare Platonism, realism5
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

in•di•vid•u•al•ism

(ˌɪn dəˈvɪdʒ u əˌlɪz əm)

n.
1. a social theory advocating the liberty, rights, or independent action of the individual.
2. the principle or habit of independent thought or action.
3. the pursuit of individual rather than common or collective interests; egoism.
4. individual character; individuality.
5. an individual peculiarity.
6. Philos.
a. the doctrine that only individual things are real.
b. the doctrine or belief that all actions are determined by, or at least take place for, the benefit of the individual, not of society as a whole.
[1825–35]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

individualism

the practice of independence in thought and action on the premise that the development and expression of an individual character and personality are of the utmost importance. Cf. egoism. — individualist, n. — individualistic, adj.
See also: Self
the practice of independence in thought and action on the premise that the development and expression of an individual character and personality are of the utmost importance. Cf. egoism. — individualist, n. — individualistic, adj.
See also: Attitudes
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.individualism - the quality of being individual; "so absorbed by the movement that she lost all sense of individuality"
individuality, individuation
trait - a distinguishing feature of your personal nature
singularity, uniqueness - the quality of being one of a kind; "that singularity distinguished him from all his companions"
distinctiveness, specialness, specialty, peculiarity, speciality - a distinguishing trait
2.individualism - a belief in the importance of the individual and the virtue of self-reliance and personal independence
belief - any cognitive content held as true
rugged individualism - individualism in social and economic affairs; belief not only in personal liberty and self-reliance but also in free competition
3.individualism - the doctrine that government should not interfere in commercial affairs
laissez faire
doctrine, ism, philosophical system, philosophy, school of thought - a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

individualism

noun independence, self-interest, originality, self-reliance, egoism, egocentricity, self-direction, freethinking He is stuck with what he calls the individualism of officers.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

individualism

noun
The set of behavioral or personal characteristics by which an individual is recognizable:
identity, individuality, selfhood.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

individualism

[ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlɪzəm] N → individualismo m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

individualism

[ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəlɪzəm] n
[behaviour] → individualisme m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

individualism

n → Individualismus m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

individualism

[ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəˌlɪz/əm] n → individualismo
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
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Upon the other hand, Socialism itself will be of value simply because it will lead to Individualism.
What is needed is Individualism. If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if there are Governments armed with economic power as they are now with political power; if, in a word, we are to have Industrial Tyrannies, then the last state of man will be worse than the first.
Of course, it might be said that the Individualism generated under conditions of private property is not always, or even as a rule, of a fine or wonderful type, and that the poor, if they have not culture and charm, have still many virtues.
But it may be asked how Individualism, which is now more or less dependent on the existence of private property for its development, will benefit by the abolition of such private property.
Under the new conditions Individualism will be far freer, far finer, and far more intensified than it is now.
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It was the age of intense individualism, when you were to do right because it was becoming to you, say, as a gentleman, and you were to have an eye single to the effect upon your character, if not your reputation; you were not to do a mean thing because it was wrong, but because it was mean.
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And they really thought that it was "individualism" for tens of thousands of them to herd together and obey the orders of a steel magnate, and produce hundreds of millions of dollars of wealth for him, and then let him give them libraries; while for them to take the industry, and run it to suit themselves, and build their own libraries--that would have been "Paternalism"!
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As I said, I am an individualist, and individualism is the hereditary and eternal foe of socialism."
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The great man who shall save us from the shipwreck which is imminent will no doubt avail himself of individualism when he makes a nation of us once more; but until this regeneration comes, we bide our time in a materialistic and utilitarian age.
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He stands as the extreme but significant exponent of violent Romantic individualism in a period when Romantic aspiration was largely disappointed and disillusioned, but was indignantly gathering its strength for new efforts.
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"The future is as certain as the past - slavery, feudalism, individualism, collectivism.
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Would you believe, they insist on complete absence of individualism and that's just what they relish!
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