Status quo

For the perennial British rock band, see Status Quo (band)

Status quo is a Latin term meaning the present current, existing state of affairs. "Maintaining the Status quo" usually connotes that the speaker is claiming to "keep things the way they presently are".

Politicains sometimes refer to a "Status quo". Sometimes there is a policy of deliberate ambiguity, referring to the status quo rather than formalizing the status. An example of political ambiguity is the political status of Taiwan. Clark Kerr is said to have said, "The status quo is the only solution that cannot be vetoed." Laurence J. Peter is said to have said, "Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status."

See also:

• Status quo ante
• Establishment
• Liberal
• Conservative
• Status.