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individualism definition

in·di·vidu·al·ism (in′də vij′o̵̅o̅ əl iz′əm)

noun

  1. individual character; individuality
  2. an individual peculiarity
  3. the doctrine that individual freedom in economic enterprise should not be restricted by governmental or social regulation; laissez faire
  4. the doctrine that the state exists for the individual and not the individual for the state
  5. the doctrine that self-interest is the proper goal of all human actions; egoism
    1. action based on any of these doctrines
    2. the leading of one's life in one's own way without conforming to prevailing patterns

Etymology: Fr individualisme

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

individualism Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • celebrate: Yet it is often criticized as a Western concept celebrating individualism and independence over group obligations and interdependence or dependence.

Adjective modifier

  • possessive: Or at least on the possessive individualism which characterizes the liberal theories of human rights.

Modifies a noun

  • score: Have a look at the world map of individualism scores.

Noun used with modifier

  • market: Market individualism and the generation of procedural criteria are not sufficient for determining social and educational justice.

Possessives

  • term: At this point one begins to see the possible application of the term ' methodological individualism ' .

Preposition: in

  • society: A Question to think about: What are the effects of self-centredness and individualism in the society?

Preposition: of

  • society: How much harder it is today than a week ago to speak of the apathy and selfish individualism of consumer society.
individualism usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

individualism quotes

The American system of rugged individualism.

-Hoover, Herbert Clark

The social problem of the twentieth century is whether civilized nations can restore themselves to sanity after their nineteenth-century aberrations of individualism and capitalism.

-Small, AlbionW

individualism quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"individualism." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/individualism>

APA Style

individualism. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/individualism

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