Incrementalism

 

Incrementalism is the policy or action of making changes incrementally or by degrees.

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Example:  The Congressman did not think that people would respond to too much change too fast.  He thought that it would make them concerned, especially if they did not want change.  Instead, he wanted to implement change in small increments so that people would have more time to adjust to the change but they would still be aware of the fact that changes were being made. He believed in the value of incrementalism so that people would both know that change was occurring but that it would seem minor enough to make accusations of serious change seem like overreacting.  He definitely intended to make serious changes over time but he wanted the changes to be small enough that he could accuse anyone who discerned (noticed) his intentions to seem like an alarmist.

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See: Gradualism