Reactionary facts for kids

A reactionary is someone who wants society to go back to older ways. They are against new ideas and changes that aim to improve society. Think of it like a "reaction" – they want to move in the opposite direction from where society is heading.

It's important not to confuse a reactionary with a conservative. A conservative person generally wants to keep things the way they are now. A reactionary, however, wants to return to how things were in the past, sometimes a long time ago.

History of the Term "Reactionary"

The word "reactionary" first appeared during the French Revolution. This was a huge change in France around 1789. People called réactionnaires wanted France to go back to being a monarchy. This meant they wanted a king or queen to rule again, instead of the new government.

Reactionaries in the 20th Century

In the 1900s, groups like socialists and communists used the word "reactionary" for their opponents. They saw reactionaries as people who supported old systems. These systems included things like feudalism (where land was owned by lords and worked by peasants) or capitalism (an economic system based on private ownership).

They also used it for those who supported fascism (a strict, nationalistic political system) or nationalism (strong loyalty to one's own nation). Basically, anyone against big social changes or revolutions was called a reactionary by these groups.

Reactionary Ideas Today

Even today, reactionary ideas are still around in politics. Many people and political groups have views that can be seen as reactionary. This is because they want to return to older ways of doing things. For example, some people might see politicians like Donald Trump as having reactionary views because they talk about bringing back past policies or traditions.

Images for kids

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  Several revolutions occurred in 1848 and early 1849, before reactionary forces regained control and the revolutions collapsed.

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  Caricature of Louis XVIII preparing for the French intervention in Spain to help the Spanish Royalists, by George Cruikshank

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  Warning against visiting reactionary websites in a Vietnamese internet café

See also

In Spanish: Reacción (política) para niños