Can someone explain to me the difference between liberal and conservative?

Question

Is it possible to have some liberal views and some conservative beliefs within the same person? Which of the two major political parties is considers liberal and which is conservative?

Don't bother trashing one or the other. I don't want to hear negative opinions of each.

Answer 1

Political beliefs basically come down to how one views personal and economic issues. Liberals tend to believe in more freedom in personal issues, and more government control of economic ones. Conservatives tend to believe the opposite: they want less government control in economic issues and more in social ones. Thus, you have liberals advocating for minority/sexual orientation rights (personal freedom) and higher taxes (economic restriction) while conservatives favor capitalism (economic freedom) and abortion/marriage restrictions (personal).

If you are interested in finding out where you fall in the liberal/conservative spectrum, try taking this short quiz:
http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html

In the US, the Democratic Party is considerd liberal and the Republican Party is conservative. Of course, you may discover that you are in favor of both personal AND economic freedom, which would make you something like a Libertarian :)

Answer 2

I would say that liberals interpret the Constitution loosely and by and large, disregard the Bible. Conservatives have a strict interpretation of the Constitution. They want a smaller gov't that doesn't do a whole lot. They tend to favor Christian agendas that have a biblical basis, like the Ten Commandments being posted in public places, prayer in schools, pro-life in the abortion debate, etc. They usually favor the United States going to war when there is a conflict. However, George Washington, in his Farewell Address, said that the United States should remain neutral and not get tangled up in European affairs, so you might say that neutrality is more conservative than liberal. It's a little confusing sometimes. Conservatives have a very harsh attitude toward crime and criminals. They don't care what the offender's excuse was. What they did was wrong and they should be punished up to the full extent of the law and including the death penalty.

Liberals are against the Ten Commandments and prayer in schools because they strongly favor the separation of church and state. They support abortion rights, gay rights, radical feminism, and moral autonomy. They also support welfare and other social programs because they believe that the gov't should take care of the people. Liberals are usually anti-war when there is a conflict, although they are pretty quick to threaten violence when the gov't doesn't cooperate with them here in America. Probably because of this rebellious attitude towards authority, they have a soft-hearted attitude towards crime and criminals. Most liberals really despise the death penalty and they try to understand the criminals' reasoning in order to hopefully reform the criminal or prevent future crimes rather than just punish the offense to the full extent of the law.

I think everyone has some liberal and some conservative beliefs because both sides take positions on so many issues. It's pretty hard to agree with either side all the time. I don't think either of the major parties are consistently liberal or conservative although most people would say, and I agree, that democrats are more liberal than the republicans.

Answer 3

Conservative and Liberal means nothing. It's all interpretation.
I read that Conservatives are Republicans...yeah right, what's up with all that spending. All this far left and right BS. Can we just get someone in the White House who will stop talking and star working. I don't care if he is Republican, Democratic, Independent, A woman or Morman. That's all you hear about in politics, criticizing, but no one ever has an answer for anything.

"The far left..."
"People on the right..."
"These liberals..."

Answer 4

Almost everyone has a mix of the two. A bit liberal and a bit conservative. Liberals and conservative are really more alike than most would like to admit. Of the two major political parties, Democrats are usually considered liberal and Republicans conservative.

For a broad definition of liberalism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism

For a broad definition of conservatism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservatism

Answer 5

Traditionally Conservatives wanted smaller governments and less spending on programs like welfare and such. They took a free enterprise approach, while liberals wanted equal opportunities and better government programs for the poor, minorities and such. Both have good points and bad. I honestly think it impossible to be all one or all another.
Also, suggesting Democrats are traditionally liberal and Republicans are traditionally conservative is NOT the case. That has only been a development in the last 30-50 years.

Answer 6

Liberal keep their jobs by creating victims and Conservatives kept their jobs by crossing the aisle and agreeing with liberals. Now that Michael Steele is chairman for the RNC Conservatives will act more responsible.

Answer 7

It is possible to be both conservative AND liberal.

Strictly speaking "conservatism" is an ideology striving to preserve, "conserve" something, usually traditions.

Liberalism is more complex belief, however the foundation of this word is clear: "Liberty". Usually liberals are either classical (want small government and are protective of civil rights) and the american sort of liberals, who want benevolent government in terms of money and are protective of civil rights.

Democrats are generally considered liberal, whilst Republicans are conservative. In 19th century the opposite was true.

Answer 8

Most Democrats are liberal. Some Republicans are conservative. Liberals favor the government taking over everything, with liberals running the government. Conservatives favor small government, less government spending, less taxes, less social programs, traditional family values, freedom to exercise religion.

Answer 9

Liberals react to certain hot button issues - like abortion, gay mariage, the war, social programs, illegal immigration, etc - with dogmatic fanaticism and irrational emotion.

Conservatives react to the same issues with the same lack of thought or common sense, but opposing those liberals support an supporting those thier rivals oppose.

Yes, it's possible to have liberal views on some issues and conservative views on others. This means that you are capable of rational thought, and will be labeled a 'wishy washy moderate.'

Republicans: conservative.
Democrats: Liberal

Answer 10

Liberal - Democrat
Conservative - Republican
And yes it is very possible to have views for each party. In that respect a Moderate is someone who has views towards the middle of each party.