Meanings
- not comparableIn favour of legislation as a means of bringing about equality.
Still strenuously resisting legalitarian socialism as treason to the cause, he had abandoned the values of his Bakuninist youth without yet finding replacements for them.
2009, Richard Drake, Apostles and Agitators: Italy's Marxist Revolutionary Tradition1 more example
Beside the practical and legalitarian Socialism of Decurtins there is also among the Catholics a small party of philanthropic or sentimental Socialists, who, while they deplore and criticise as anti-Christian the present state of society, have nothing to oppose to it beyond nebulous statements and transcendental yearnings.
1895, Francesco Saverio Nitti, Catholic Socialism
plural legalitarians
- One who promotes such ideas.
The insurrectionary spirit still had great value, but by neglecting modest means of struggle one ended up being powerless. This was why legalitarians had gained momentum ('Anarchismo nel movimento').
2012, D. Turcato, Making Sense of Anarchism: Errico Malatesta’s Experiments with Revolution, 1889-1900
Origin
Blend of legal + egalitarian.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
legalitarian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/legalitarian
“legalitarian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/legalitarian. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “legalitarian,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/legalitarian.
Source: legalitarian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.