Volte-face

Volte-face
Volte-face (/vltfs/ or /voltfs/) is a total change of position, as in policy or opinion; an about-face.
The expression comes through French, from Italian voltafaccia and Portuguese volte face, composed of volta (turn)
and faccia (face).
In the context of politics a volte-face is, in modern English, often referred to as a U-turn or a flip-flop in the UK and
the US respectively.

In politics
The royal assent by Charles I in June 1628 to the Petition of Right.
The 1938 decision of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to subsidize Balkan economies to resist
German economic supremacy.
The 1990s switch of the Bharatiya Janata Party of India from a support of swadeshi (national) products to the
embracing of free market ideas
The switch from populist protectionist policies that fed national movements to free market capitalism wholly at
odds with the election promises of Solidarity in Poland and the African National Congress in South Africa [1]

In diplomacy
The Diplomatic Revolution.
The Soviet-German Pact.
The successful manoeuver of Italy in September 1943, when the Italian Army capitulated immediately after the
Allied invasion of Sicily. Italy switched sides from one of the aggressor Axis Powers and was allowed to
co-operate with the Allies with notable benefits (Britannica: "The Allies' invasion of Italy and the Italian
volte-face, 1943") [2].
The Soviet switch from supporting Somalia to supporting Ethiopia during the Ogaden War.

In business
New Coke replaced Coca-Cola's main product with one containing a different formula. After a public backlash,
Coca-Cola reintroduced the original formulation.

Notes
[1] Klein, Naomi (2007) The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. New York: Picador. ISBN 978-0-312-42799-3.
[2] http:/ / www. britannica. com/ eb/ article?tocId=53580

Article Sources and Contributors

Article Sources and Contributors

Volte-face Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=614587748 Contributors: DH85868993, Deflective, Earthlyreason, G Clark, Gaius Cornelius, Ghirlandajo, Goustien, Ground
Zero, HistoryBA, Hyacinth, IanOfNorwich, Jeffq, JuDeeKent, Klemen Kocjancic, Kwamikagami, MGTom, MJSkia1, Mais oui!, Michaeljhall110, Movementarian, Nwbeeson, Pedant,
PhnomPencil, Richie Campbell, Robofish, TruckMatt, Uhhlive, Woohookitty, 19 anonymous edits

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/