What is "gradualism"

1832, in abolitionist literature, as a disparaging term (opposed to immediatism), from gradual + -ism. Related: Gradualist.

n. 1 (label en biology) The belief that evolution proceeds at a steady pace, without the sudden development of new species or biological features from one generation to the next. 2 (label en transferred sense) The belief that some phenomenon occurs gradually over a long period of time. 3 (label en politics) The belief that change ought to be brought about in small, discrete increments rather than in abrupt strokes such as revolutions or uprisings.

Gradualism, from Latin gradus ("step"), is a hypothesis, a theory or a tenet assuming that change comes about gradually or that variation is gradual in nature. Uniformitarianism, incrementalism, and reformism are similar concepts.