| Noun | 1. | social action - a social policy of reform (especially socioeconomic reform) social policy - a policy of for dealing with social issues affirmative action - a policy designed to redress past discrimination against women and minority groups through measures to improve their economic and educational opportunities; "affirmative action has been extremely controversial and was challenged in 1978 in the Bakke decision" fence mending - social action to improve poor relations (especially in politics); "they moved forward from a period of fence mending to substantive changes in the country" |