Gradualism

Gradualism, in biology, holds that evolution occurs through the accumulation of slight modifications over a period of generations. This is in contrast to saltationism, which holds that evolution occurs through large changes, possibly in a single generation.

Source

• Bickerton, Derek (2000). "Biomusicology and Language Evolution Studies", The Origins of Music. Cambridge, Mass: A Bradford Book, The MIT Press. ISBN 0262232065.

Gradualism can also refer to a slow and gradual deterioration of society which appears to restart every so often. Such as the Roman republic, starting out as a farming state, later becoming a large and corrupt empire that would even watch slaves fight to the death for entertainment. This as well was depicted in the Star Wars series, which was based in part on the Roman civilization's deterioration. It refers to a deterioration of the moral and political structure of a specific country or society. Such deteroration can even be seen in the United States today, where the constitution was origionally based on John Locke's Social Contract, where we would hold the inalienable rights of Life, Liberty and Property, and the right to overthrow, reform and instate new government if these rights were to be infringed, at this point in time the government has gradually instated things to contradict this philosophy, such as gun control, the 16th and 18th amendments, the Kelo v New London decision and more. It is considered an inevitable process in which all governments deteriorate in. This was the basis for John Locke's Social Contract, which created a governmental philosophy that would create some measures against gradualism.

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