Continistes

The Continistes are a political-philosophical movement that advocates for maintaining continuity in governance, society, and cultural heritage through prudent, incremental reform. They emphasize institutional memory, long-term planning, and resilience against rapid, destabilizing change.

Origin and scope: The term derives from Latin continuus and the suffix -iste, and it has circulated in political theory and speculative fiction to describe adherents who seek uninterrupted social processes. Proponents often point to long-standing institutions and gradual policy evolution as stabilizing forces.

Ideology and methods: Continistes argue that sustainable progress relies on durable institutions, cross-partisan cooperation, and transparent policy registries. They favor sunset clauses, five- to ten-year planning horizons, and scenario planning to anticipate shocks. They typically reject sweeping revolutions and prefer incremental reforms guided by evidence.

Organization and activities: The movement operates as a loose network of think tanks, academic groups, municipal coalitions, and civil-society organizations rather than a centralized party. It produces briefs, hosts continuity forums, and maintains archives and data repositories to support institutional memory and informed decision-making.

Reception and cultural presence: Critics contend that Continistes risk entrenching elites or preserving the status quo, while supporters credit them with reducing policy volatility and improving governance. The concept appears in contemporary scholarship, journalism, and speculative fiction as a framework for analyzing reform dynamics.