Why would anyone be politically conservative?

Question

I think even conservatives would agree that liberal policies are 'nicer', whatever your definiton of nice is. I mean, liberal views are generally aimed at helping everyone and not just yourself, giving people more choice over what they do and how they live their lives, fighting less war, etc, etc. So to me it just seems that conservatism is humanly unnatural. Isn't it inherent in human nature to have liberal opinions, about letting people choose, being peaceful, helping others?

What makes people become conservative? Is defending yourself before others and trying to make others do the same as you just as much inherent in human nature? Does is vary from person to person? Do people become conservative due to a lack of understanding? Are conservatives selfish people? Is it due to a lack of education? Is it down to religion? Why is it that most conservatives are also christians?

I am liberal but I'm not trying to attack conservatives, I'm just trying to understand them really.

Btw please don't just say conservatives are great people. I know that there have been many great conservatives over the ages who have done a lot to improve their country/city/etc. But I'm more interested in the ideology.

Answer 1

french statesman francois guizot 1787-1874 said "to be republican at 20 is proof of want of heart; not to be one at 30 is proof of want of head"

personally i am neither conservative or liberal i am human, i dont answer before i hear the question, i am conservative on some things and liberal on others and maybe if our politicians followed this path the world would be a better place, perhaps not though.

and why does nicolasraaaeg or w/e his name is confuse liberalism for communism? people who say such stupid things have no idea about politics and maybe nick you would be better off answering questions about wrestling which you seem to be such a fan of

Answer 2

I can't answer for all conservatives, of course, but I'll explain my own views.

I'm actually not a full-blooded conservative; I define myself as "conservative with a libertarian twist". I'm a fiscal conservative and a social moderate. By fiscal conservative, I mean that the money I earn belongs to ME first, not the government. I have no problem paying taxes for what I see as the legitimate functions of government, mainly as defined in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. Nor do I have a problem with a modest social "safety net", to use Reagan's term, for those less fortunate than myself. What irks me is when the government uses my tax money for things that are wasteful, that I don't support, and/or illegitimate government functions. Fiscal liberals, or "nanny-state" liberals, will tell you that this is compassionate, but it's easy to be compassionate with someone else's money.

In the social arena, I describe myself as moderate, though I probably lean to the left a bit. For the most part, I really don't give a damn what you do in your personal life, as long as it's not adversely affecting someone else. Your rights end where the next person's begins, and for the most part, government shouldn't intrude further than that.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. You're welcome to send me a message if you wish to discuss the issue further.

Answer 3

Actually, conservatives do more to help people and to help them help themselves, while liberals do more to get the GOVERNMENT to help them. Liberals are constantly trying to take AWAY people's choice in having a gun or in what gun to have. Conservatives protect us from being overrun by people who would eventually wage a permanant one-sided war against us from which we would be helpless and defenseless. LIBERALS have a lack of understanding. Liberals have mostly been fed a bill of goods by a liberal academia. Conservatives manage to get good educations and reliable information elsewhere. It is NOT down to religion. There are many non-Christians, even atheists, who want abortion to be illegal, want same-sex marriage never to be recognized and who support other conservative positions for nonreligious reasons. The real question is why anyone would be a liberal.

Answer 4

Hey there St. Toad, I only feel superior to you, you moron. Some of the best human beings I've ever met are conservative, and by best I mean the same paragons of virtue and decency that liberals are always gushing about such as giving away money to the poor etc. So your argument is really baseless. Most true racists I've met were pretty Leftist too.

Answer 5

A liberal wants to give everyone everything, a conservative wants you to get a job. I don't see how that makes the conservative mean, but some people do. Liberals ability to be "nice" has never helped any of the people they are supposedly "nice" to. It just makes them more dependent on the liberals. That's the policy that I don't understand.

Answer 6

I know alot of conservatives and alot of them watch Fox News. Laughing aside, the ones that are liberal and independent like me are people who thrive on progression, open mindedness, adventure because all those things bring in optimisim and positivism about a future we so need. We have entered an age where an enlightened consciousness will reign supreme. In other words, the old, staid, tried and true, SAFE will not be able to survive in a growing consciousness. Those who are conservative to a fault need security. You can see it in their personalities. Those who welcome liberalism are willing to take a risk, (definition of faith) willing to dare to ask the important questions and not take the tried and true lying down.

Answer 7

A conservative is a great person. However that said these days we have the Neo Con(victs). Progressive Conservatives like Teddy Roosevelt are a reason why this country was once great.

Answer 8

People become Conservative so that they can feel vindicated in spreading hatred and lies. They feel that they are superior to all other people, even their fellow Americans and absolutely hate anyone with an opinion that differs from theirs. They truly hate Democracy and yearn for a totalitarian regime to dominate the political landscape.

Answer 9

I don't believe liberal policies are "nicer". Helping everyone through lies and thievery. RIGHT! Not very nice and they only say they help but don't really help anyone. Socialism. Keeping people on the plantation and the government dole. Is it nicer to teach a person to fish and feed themselves or is it nicer to take your money from you and feed them? All the while it is harder for you to feed your family. Is it nicer to give people freedom(not licentiousness) or keep them down with gov't programs?

Answer 10

because the basic and self-governing insitutions of society--private property and businesses, families, charities, common law, marriage, churches, etc.--do not require a state to help them function.

these institutions pre-dated modern welfare states and secured peoples needs and wants just fine before massive taxation and spending programs kicked in, which are by any and all accounts huge failures.

not that conservatives are right about everything, but they are right in that the nucleus of society is not the national government but the family.