gradualism

noun

1. 1

   The belief that evolution proceeds at a steady pace, without the sudden development of new species or biological features from one generation to the next.

2. 2

   (transferred sense) The belief that some phenomenon occurs gradually over a long period of time.

3. 3

   The belief that change ought to be brought about in small, discrete increments rather than in abrupt strokes such as revolutions or uprisings.