PoliticsJuly 4, 2026

capitulation

/kəˌpɪtʃuˈleɪʃən/

Definition

The act of surrendering or yielding to an opponent's demands and interests, particularly by a political leader who abandons their stated promises.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'capitulare,' meaning to draw up in heads or chapters. It evolved to describe the process of settling terms of surrender by articles or headings.

In the news

In the article, the term describes how progressive-leaning governments effectively surrendered their reformist platforms to the demands of imperialism and domestic oligarchies. This betrayal created a political vacuum that enabled the rise of far-right candidates.

The political significance of the Colombian and Peruvian elections

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World Socialist Web Site

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