[f. prec. + -ISM.] A territorial system.
1. A system which gives predominance to the landed class; landlordism.
1881. Parnell, in Philad. Record, No. 3357. 1. Appealing to the great masses of England and Scotland against the territorialism and shopocracy which dominates Parliament.
1882. Kay, in Macm. Mag., XLVI. 150. The anomalies consequent on the various reigns of feudalism and territorialism.
1884. Manch. Exam., 19 June, 5/1. The old flag of Tory territorialism or the new ensign of Tory democracy.
2. Rendering German Territorialsystem, applied to a theory of church government which places the supreme authority in the civil power. Cf. COLLEGIALISM.
18823. Schaffs Encycl. Relig. Knowl., III. 1821. [Pfaff] defended the collegial system against the reigning territorialists.
1888. Schaff, Hist. Chr. Ch., VI. I. viii. 25. Territorialism, whose motto is Cujus regio, ejus religio.
3. Sc. The organization of church work on territorial lines; the extension of the parochial system to smaller areas: see TERRITORIAL 2 c.
1873. T. Cochrane, Home Mission Work, vi. (1885), 133. The grand practical work of Territorialism.
1904. J. Wells, J. H. Wilson, vi. 51. Territorialism is the parochial system in its perfection, adjusted to the needs of a great city.
4. The organization of the Army on a territorial or local basis: see TERRITORIAL 4.
1903. Sat. Rev., 24 Oct., 503/2. Territorialism may often be good as a recruiting principle, but seldom as a limit to a regiments definition.