The word “reform” has a number of meanings, both in common language and in law: “to amend what is corrupt or depraved”; “to restore to good order”; and “to improve.”
In politics, reform refers to efforts to bring an established system closer to the ideals of a community. Reform movements typically rise in response to social, political, or economic injustices and seek to change laws and policies. Reforms have occurred throughout American history, including the Second Great Awakening religious revival, which spurred movements like Populism; and during the Progressive Era, which fueled reforms in areas such as promoting temperance, creating public school systems, improving treatment of prisoners, the insane, and poor people, and granting women’s suffrage.
Today, Americans are deeply divided on government reform. Many favor bigger or smaller government, and some want very major reform.
Nigel Farage’s Reform party, which was formed in 2018 and campaigned on a single issue—Brexit—during the COVID-19 pandemic, has since moved to a broader right-wing populist agenda. Its manifesto includes pledges to limit immigration, reduce taxation and the cost of net zero emissions. It has tapped into culture war issues, with Farage attacking the “divisive ‘woke’ ideology” that he says has captured public institutions and vowed to stop transgender ideology in schools and scrap diversity, equality and inclusion rules. The party has also backed a border security policy and opposes a carbon tax.