Status quo

From Metapedia

Status quo is a Latin term meaning the present, current, existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are. The related phrase status quo ante, means "the state of things as it was before."

[edit] Usage

In 19th-century diplomatic Latin, the original sentence was in statu quo res erant ante bellum "the state things were before the war". This gave rise to the shorter form status quo ante bellum "the state that it was before the war", indicating the withdrawal of enemy troops and restoration of power to prewar leadership, as well as other variations, such as status quo itself.

Arguing to preserve the status quo is usually done in the context of opposing a large, often radical change. The term frequently refers to the status of a large issue, such as the current culture or social climate of an entire society or nation. Status quo can also refer to the social status in the workplace or peer group school.