Why is the term "liberal" have negative connotations in the USA?

Question

I have found that Americans use the term "liberal" as something that is negative. Calling a person a "liberal" is negative while in Canada we have a Liberal political party that stands for universal health care, personal freedom of choice and environmental controls as an example.

Why the negativeness in the USA on the word??

Answer 1

Firstly, educated people in America know that the term "liberal" is not automatically a negative term. However, educated people in America also know the only reason some people misrepresent the term "liberal" is because of an ultra-rightwing "surge" to dominate all sectors of American culture. Thanks to a group of conservative/Bush supporters, for almost 8 years the term has been just as confused as the confusion the White House created about 9/11 and the reason for invading Iraq.

Secondly, the dominant conservative forces in the U.S. sought out a scapegoat for Bush's blunders and inability to catch Osama BinLaden. Distracting the American people from the inability for the Bush administration to capture the real threat to U.S. security by scapegoating liberals took the focus off his conservative "stay the course" motto, which continues to make matters worse in Iraq for U.S. troops (as well as the economy). It was a cheap ploy for the supporters of Bush to distract themselves from the real lack of a leadership that governs in favor of the people and not the vested interests of a handful of the wealthiest oligarchy.

Because I know there will be people posting things like, all liberals support abortion, free sex, hate our troops, etc. (which are all overgeneralized lies), here's the (current) dictionary definition of liberalism:

"A political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy [freedom] of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties."

So when you abuse liberals in a typical anti-liberal fashion, this is what you're saying:

anti-liberalism: An ideology based on no belief in progress, the essential evil of the human race, the enslavement of the individual and standing for no protection of political and civil liberties.

Taking the term "liberal" completely out of its rightful context and definition was one of the worse things radical conservatives have tried to do over the last 8 years.

Answer 2

it's only negative to republicans, my friend. actually, it's only the extreme Libs that get under most people's skin. but, yes, the Liberal party here in the States is supposedly for all those things that your Liberal party stands for. But, the extreme Libs take it too far. they strive for those things at the expense of sensibility and reason. Extreme Right (republicans) do this as well, but in my opinion, are a little less ignorant to the truths of politics and life in general. the Libs have a tendency to follow blindly behind the likes of Kennedy and Nancy P. without hesitation. both parties are guilty of disagreeing with the other party just b/c of their associations or pressure from their colleagues and/or Lobbyists. that's why i do not class myselft in either political party. that's how it should be, formulate your OWN opinion, do your OWN research, be EDUCATED in politics. Do not agree or disagree based on your party affiliation or b/c CNN or the Washington Post tells you what you should do.

Answer 3

The American people are afraid of anything which even remotely looks like 'socialism' and since 'liberal' is the nearest thing they have in their political culture, it gets the blame for everything which is wrong with the country.

Historically, the 'liberals' in America failed black Americans and towards the end of the Civil war, tried to strike a deal with the South, which would have enabled it to keep its slaves.

The party of anti-slavery in US politics is the Republican Party. Yes it's Conservative with a very big 'C'.

America is shifting left at present. However, many of those in Congress who claim to be 'liberals' are probably really 'conservatives' in sheep's clothing.

Answer 4

The term itself sounds nice and all, but what exactly are the policies that make the world socially just? The devil is in the details. What opportunities are not equally available to all free citizens? Isn't individual freedom the root of all human rights? Social justice must put people into groups and then give advantages to the groups based on some statistical information accumulated. If we had social justice in the law, punishment would be issued not by the crime you committed but by what group you were in. This is why the concept "equal justice under the law" is important. it is not based on the group you are in but judgment by the criminal act you commit. That is true justice.

Answer 5

That is because the corporations own the media. If you do a search for who owns what you will find out. Many 'Republicans' are good but they do not understand they have been lied too.

Bush is a part of an elite secret thieving mob. If you really want to know check this out www.thesanitycheck.com or Google video Alex Jones! It is a part of the 'programming' time to de-program!

Most Americans do not question Aspartame in their food or Flouride in their water even though these were WW2 covert biological agents. Even when there vote was manipulated many were business as usual.

Answer 6

Good question

I think it is because of the confusion between economic liberalism and social liberalism

Margaret Thatcher was an example of economic liberalism, believing that the state should do as little as possible and market forces should be allowed to prevail - hence privatisation and liberalisation of markets

Social liberalism refers to freedom for people to live their lives how they chose so it would put less of an emphasis on traditional family values and insitutions. Often it refers to giving equal opportunity to everyone so might be more generous in benefits and healthcare for example.

Often right of centre politicians are economic liberals and social conservatives while left of centre politicians are social liberals but believe in more state intervention to reduce inequality. That is a generalisation but it is one reason for the confusion

Certainly liberalism has nothing to do with socialism but in the US they seem to misunderstand that

Answer 7

I think you are confusing the party name with an adjective. In the UK they have the liberal party but it does not mean they take a liberal attitude to things.
If you spread gravel liberally on the road is not the same a taking a liberal attitude to sex, (well I suppose it could but you know what I mean).
The Liberal party also probably do not take a liberal attitude to sex also but it is the original concept that they use.
Hence therefore if you take a liberal attitude then easy going, laid back, could not give a toss comes to mind.
A Liberal politician is frequently NOT of that ilk.

Answer 8

The word liberal is only seen as negative to whose who have conservative views. I identify myself as a liberal, because of my political views are in line with other people who identify themselves as liberal.

Answer 9

Liberals seem to be the smallest group. Remeber there are always two big kids on the block D's and R's. Get em in a fight and see who wins?

Answer 10

Liberal" is another word for democrate that the republicans like to use to describe a democrate political and philisophicale views. as for example
there are conservative republicans
moderate republicans
religious right republicans ectt.
conservative democrate
libral democrate
ect..
conservative= religoius right/ traditional/ philisoph
moderate= in the middle/ part conservative part libral
libral= human right oriented/ non traditonal