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pluralism

PLOOR-uh-liz-uhm /ˈplʊərəlɪzəm/

nounC1GRESATUPSC

academicpoliticalphilosophical

A condition or system in which two or more states, groups, principles, or sources of authority coexist.

Advocates for a society where diverse ethnic, religious, or social groups maintain their unique identities while participating fully in a unified nation.

The story behind the word. Rooted in the Latin 'plus', meaning 'more', 'pluralism' entered English through theological debates about church officials holding 'more than one' office at the same time. By the 20th century, philosophers and sociologists adopted the term to describe a healthy society that welcomes 'more than one' culture, religion, or political viewpoint.

Word relationships

diversity: Diversity simply describes the presence of different elements, while pluralism is an active social or political system that values and protects those differences.

monism: Monism is the philosophical or political belief that there is only one single, ultimate principle, authority, or culture.
uniformity: Uniformity is the state of being completely identical, homogeneous, and unchanging.

Commonly confused with

plurality: Plurality refers to receiving the most votes in an election (but not an absolute majority), whereas pluralism is the coexistence of diverse groups.

Word family

pluralist (noun/adjective): An advocate of pluralism; relating to a pluralistic system.
pluralistic (adjective): Characterized by the coexistence of many different groups or ideas.

Collocations

cultural pluralism
religious pluralism
political pluralism
embrace pluralism

Example sentences

"The country's political pluralism allows many different voices and parties to be heard." Discussing democratic values.
"Cultural pluralism celebrates differences rather than trying to erase them in a melting pot." Describing cultural coexistence.

Memory hook

Pluralism is a society that embraces the 'plural' (many) instead of the singular. Pluralism values the plural over the singular.

When not to use

Do not use to describe a society that forces everyone to conform to a single culture (which is assimilation) or keeps them strictly apart (which is segregation).

Fun facts

In philosophy, pluralism is the belief that there is no single explanatory system (like science or religion alone) that can account for all of reality.