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{{short description|Latin term meaning the existing state of affairs}}
{{other uses|Status Quo (disambiguation)}}
{{italic title}}
'''{{lang|la|Status quo|italic=Status quo}}''' is a [[Latin]] phrase meaning the existing [[state of affairs (sociology)|state of affairs]], particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues.<ref>{{cite Merriam-Webster|status quo}}</ref> In the [[Sociology|sociological]] sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the current state of social structure or values.<ref name=gloss>{{cite web|author1=C. Michael Botterweck|title=Glossary for Sociology 100|url=http://academics.triton.edu/faculty/mbotterweck/glossary.html|website=academics.triton.edu|access-date=8 February 2015}}</ref> With regard to policy debate, it means how conditions are contrasted with a possible change. For example: "The countries are now trying to maintain the ''status quo'' with regard to their nuclear arsenals." To maintain the ''status quo'' is to keep things the way they presently are.

The related phrase ''[[wikt:status quo ante|status quo ante]]'', literally 'the status before', refers to the state of affairs that existed previously.<ref>{{cite Merriam-Webster|status quo ante}}</ref>

== Political usage ==

The status quo may be changed via [[social movement|social movements]]. These seek to alleviate or prevent a particular issue and often to shape social feeling and cultural expression of a society or nation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.featherpicking.com/The%20Social%20Climate.htm|title=The Social Climate|access-date=2009-03-11|work=The Optimal Environment: Part Four|publisher=www.featherpicking.com|last=Clark|first=Pamela|year=2000}}</ref>

Advocating to improve the status quo is a persuasive [[rhetorical device]]. This is sometimes critiqued as a policy of deliberate ambiguity as not formalizing or defining the adverse situation.{{Cn|date=October 2024}} 

Economist [[Clark Kerr]] reportedly said: "The status quo is the only solution that cannot be [[veto]]ed."<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l-w6CwAAQBAJ&q=clark+kerr+The+status+quo+is+the+only+solution+that+cannot+be+vetoe&pg=PA182|title=Momentum: The Responsibility Paradigm and Virtuous Cycles of Change in Colleges and Universities|last=Seymour|first=Daniel|date=2015-12-07|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=9781475821048|language=en}}</ref>

[[Karl Marx]] viewed organized religion as a means for the [[bourgeoisie]] to keep the [[proletariat]] content with an unequal status quo.<ref name="Boundless">{{cite web |publisher=Boundless |title=Religion and Social Control |work=Boundless Sociology |date=27 Jun 2014 |access-date=8 Feb 2015 |url=https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/religion-14/the-conflict-perspective-107/religion-and-social-control-596-2095/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108215421/https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/religion-14/the-conflict-perspective-107/religion-and-social-control-596-2095/ |archive-date= Jan 8, 2015 }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Conservatism]]
** [[Shukyū-ha]]
* [[Status quo bias]]
* [[Status quo ante bellum]]
* [[Speaker Denison's rule]]
* [[List of Latin phrases]]
* [[Status Quo (Jerusalem and Bethlehem)]]

{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wiktionary|status quo|status quo ante}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Latin words and phrases]]
[[Category:Change]]
[[Category:Cognitive inertia]]