Please help... Define Conservative (in a poitical sense)?

Question

Could you all please tell me what conservative means.

What does liberal mean?

Do you know? Please do not refer to any texts, just tell me your understanding...

What do you MEAN, when you say these words.

Looks like we have one person with some idea, but he looked it up it seems.... Not that that matters... I find it interesting that none of you US folk who use these terms incessantly have any idea what they (used to) mean.

Now they mean nothing. It looks like conservative followers believe that by associating themselves and supporting guns and strong (fooolhardy?) leaders that you somehow become safer and more powerful.

Answer 1

Liberal Mom talking to 21 year old child. "Mommy knows best."

Conservative Mom talking to 21 year old child. "I raised you to be a good person. It's time for you to be on your own and make your own decisions. If you need advice, we can talk about it."

Answer 2

conservatives want a smaller government with less social programs. they want a strong armed forces in order to keep the peace. the conservative movement started in the 80's with Ronald Reagan, and really took hold in the early 90's with the contract with America. the platform is lower taxes, strong defense, the right to life, and a judicial branch that interprets the Constitution not legislate from the bench. As for liberals i don't know what they stand for.

Answer 3

Conservatives are Survivors on their own terms in any form they choose..they protect their own by any means and God help the individual who threatens them or their family...the buy the guns to use and will!

Liberals? They hide behind the courage of the Conservatives all the while yelling that guns are bad, we should ignore punishment for crimes because the criminal had a bad childhood or experience in elementary school. They have no guts and should, therefore, get no glory!

Can ya guess which one I am!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

My understanding of the terms is this:

Conservatives want the government not to get too involved in your life. (smaller gov't., generally lower taxes, stronger military to defend the country, more responsibility is placed on the individual)

Liberalism is just the opposite. (Bigger gov't., More government programs and higher taxes to pay for them, smaller military as that funding could be used elsewhere, less responsibilty is on the individual)

There are extreme people on both sides. So beware! :)

Answer 5

Well for example... To be conservative would be someone who has traditional values, (man and woman get married, and thats it)
Someone with liberal values is more opened minded, (gays can marry). But there are so many verying degrees of both, it is sometimes hard to say "I am Conservative", or "I am Liberal."

Answer 6

Conservatism is a philosophy defined by Edmund Burke as "a disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve". The term derives from conserve; from Latin conservāre, to keep, guard, observe. Classical conservatism does not readily avail itself to the ideology of objectives.

More Infomation you can go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservatism

:)

Answer 7

A conservitave is a back assed liberal. A liberal is a back assed conservative. They are just the opposite end of the same stick.

Answer 8

Conservative this: a pedifile trying to keep his hands offur six year old daughter. liberal this: that same pedifile sharing ur daughter w/his best friend.

Answer 9

Liberal=Pragmatist
Conservative=Reactionary.

thats as cut and dried as I can make it.