what is the different between a liberal and a conservative?

Question

Never really caught the difference.
thank you in advance

(please in your own words, I'm not trying to read a book)

Answer 1

Left-Liberal (Usually Democrat)
Right-Conservative (Usually Republican)

Answer 2

Just look at the root of the words:

Liberal - from liber (or something similar) meaning free. They believe people deserve the right to make their own life choices as long as it doesn't affect someone else (imho). They also believe that the government is there to take care of the people so that everyone has the oportunity to live their life to its fullest; thus they will support programs like medicaid, social security, etc.

Conservative - is just that, they believe in traditional values. They also believe in enforcing those values. This includes things that encroach on peoples lives including gay marriage, right to die, and things that aren't so personal like gun rights and free market.

Both parties believe in big government, even if the conservatives like to say they are against it, just for different purposes. Liberals believe government should help the poorer people and restrict exploitation (welfare, minimum wage laws, etc.). While conservatives prefer for it to protect their money and find ways to make them more (tax reform, large military, etc.)

Remember though, that these are rather broad labels, and a person will usually fit somewhere in the middle of these. Thus you will hear the term fiscal conservative and the like to try and label more of the gray area in between the two.

Answer 3

It is pretty confused, but here is how I've sorted it out.

“A liberal is too broad-minded to take his own side in a quarrel.” – Robert Frost

“The most fundamental fact about the ideas of the political left is that they do not work. Therefore we should not be surprised to find the left concentrated in institutions [Universities] where ideas do not have to work in order to survive.” – Thomas Sowell

This issue is semantically befuddled. When I was in High School, I was taught that liberals want progress, and conservatives want to go back in time. Since I was all for progress, I labeled myself as a liberal. Later I found that businessmen are generally conservatives, and they are also the agents of wealth creating economic progress.

“Some see private enterprise as a predatory target to be shot, others as a cow to be milked, but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling the wagon.” – Sir Winston Churchill

Then I realized, some aspects of social progress comes directly from the wealth that is created by economic progress. You can be a radical for economic progress, and be labeled a Neanderthal, a reactionary for social progress. But that is not quite true, for the person who creates wealth, is the true liberal and radical for social progress, since they create the wealth that enables more people to live well.

Social liberals have been exceedingly destructive to true social progress, the exact opposite of what you would expect. Social liberals are destroying the wealth of our nation through an entitlement process, that is inefficient, and always worsens the situation. If there ever was an example of the emperor wearing no clothes, social liberals are them.

Based on this, in general, these pairs go together.

Economic Radical: laissez-faire capitalist who is against taxes and all entitlement programs. Creates the most social progress.
Social Reactionary: believes everyone is responsible for their own life. Wants to eliminate all social entitlement programs. However, they are strong on philanthropy, later in life.

Economic Liberal: wants to run his business profitably, minimize taxes and would like to minimize social, entitlement programs.
Social Conservative: wants people to be responsible, but prefers to help people by choice. Strong on charity and volunteer activities.

Social Liberal: wants new entitlement programs.
Economic Conservative: does not trust business!

Social Radical: wants revolution to a socialist type of government right away. Craves the power to do so.
Economic Reactionary: would prefer everyone worked on a farm and that industry would cease.

ERSR:Ayn Rand, John Rockefeller
ELSC:Jack Welch, Bill Gates
SLEC:Ted Kennedy, Ralph Nader
SRER:Mao, Fidel Castro

The word liberal and conservative are not accurate. Add the words social or economic to clarify whether it is economic or social.

Answer 4

Generally speaking, Liberals tend to want big government and to have the government involved in all kinds of issues, like providing for the poor, etc. Conservatives, on the other hand favor the rights of individuals to run their own lives and to make money, hire people and be generally free of government interference.

These are only some general ideas. I am sure that people on both sides would debate this issue all day long.

Answer 5

In the US, currently, a conservative "leader" is an emotionally underveloped, overpriveledged, greedy, insulated, power hungry person desperately to try to control and dictate to the rest of the people, and manipulate foreign policy to their own twisted goals. A conservative follower is someone brainwashed by the Propaganda Machine of the Neocons and religious right to follow the self-serving need of the "leaders."
The Liberals are the rest of the country- most of it- save those too cowed by the endless attacks on liberality to raise their head and protest the Facist Right.


A Liberal

Answer 6

If you believe DC D, then you'd believe that all conservatives are racist bastards - but that's just him and few others who run their keypads to an extreme on Y!A. So ignore him.

Liberals believe in individual liberty, but tend to believe in government as a uniting force that bonds the people of the nation together and creates safety nets for the most vulnerable.

Conservatives also believe in individual liberty and tend to treat the corporation with the same level of liberty. Where liberals believe in government regulation of industry, conservatives believe in the "invisible hand" of market forces to guide the economy. More recently, religious conservatives have been added to the mix on this side. They differ from traditional conservatives in that they see government as a tool for the regulation of morals - differing from both traditional conservatives and liberals in that government intrusion into the lives of its citizens.

A little lenghty, but that's the way I see it.

Answer 7

Ain't no liberals or conservatives around here any more. The new division is between those that are in on the corruption and those who ain't.

Politicians are in on it. Voters don't even acknowledge that it's going on. Voters don't have anyone else to vote for but the politicians (except Ralph Nader and no one votes for him),

Politicians point at themselves or each other as Conservatives or Liberals just so we are distracted from what they're doing with the other hand.

Answer 8

of direction conservative and liberal can propose countless issues regardless of while you're speaking approximately social themes, financial equipment, or remote places coverage. yet standard i think of the version is that a conservative thinks each and every thing would be large if we circulate away issues on my own or proceed to stick to previous techniques, whilst a liberal favors decisive efforts to alter issues and cause them to greater effective.

Answer 9

Conservatives have jobs and responsibility. Liberals expect the government to take care of them.

Answer 10

Conservatives-Gods Own Party
Liberals-Liberl Nazi Gay Loving, Towelhead F@#$ing, Tree Hugging Flag Burning, Baby Killing Communist

Answer 11

In a nutshell, Conservatives believe in the primacy of individual rights, and individual responsibility.

Liberals believe that loyalty to and support of ones community or group is more important.