Considering American history, will America be more socially liberal or socially conservative in 50 years?

Question

I think the answer is obvious. Each generation has become more tolerant, egalitarian, and has adopted a more live and let live attitude then the previous generation.

"The radical of one century is the conservative of the next. The radical invents the views. When he has worn them out the conservative adopts them."
-- Mark Twain, Notebook, 1898

CS,

Yes, there is a pendelum type of motion, but the pendelum base itself keeps moving to the left. For example, even with the Reagan 80s, the Republican Congress, and Dubya disaster, America has become more tolerant of gays and more tolerant of interracial marriage.

Another example,

Back in the 60s, giving black people full equal rights was a radical idea. Today, it's just common sense and no mainstream politican (including conservative ones) opposes that idea.

Answer 1

Dogma has to be brought down, it will not collapse on its own.

Answer 2

Actually it seems to go in cycles. We are just ending a cycle of conservativism and easing into a more liberal mood. That should last about 20 years or so and then we will be back to the conservative side again. This has been the trend for many years. Look at it as a clock pendulum. It swings from left to right. The political mood in America swings like that pendulum. In the 1960s it was pegging the left and by the 1980s it had pegged right. Most swings are not that drastic but the swing is there nevertheless.

Answer 3

The election of 1968 turned this country to the right, and it has been in conservative mode ever since. In my opinion it's been there too long, and change is sure to come. Winning elections on wedge issues like abortion, guns and gays is hardly a trend we need to continue. Tolerance is a liberal virtue and most Americans are catching the drift. The element of possibilities is more attractive than the status quo.

Answer 4

Since the social issue are tempered by economics, If nuclear energy is still off limits & the economics of Renewable Energy is still an economic disaster for the investor, the 1st world will be more conservative than in the 1950's.

A thriving economy enables any/all liberal agendas. These aren't my views just look at history. Assets are required to take care of others. Until the world becomes a Utopia that is just the way it is.

Answer 5

Agree with you, but what is important is that there will be some serious struggles over this direction. There is a mass of the American population that is dedicated and invested in intolerance and inequality. There is no reason that we cannot backslide into that. For example, arguably the baby boomers are more liberal than the Gen Xers. So it is not a simple progressive movement, but rather one that moves in a seesaw motion that does not ahve a clear path. What is important is that we help make what seems possible a reality.

Good question.

Answer 6

Since we all want to run naked in the streets drunk on wine and have sex with many partners I see us progressing to a liberal point in which people have had enough and ban sex and mind altering through the use of anything except prayer .
This is what happened to Rome .

Answer 7

Socially liberal and fiscally conservative. The way it should be.

Answer 8

I think American has consistently become more socially liberal

Answer 9

Conservative, you can only brainwash the masses into fighting against human nature for so long.

Answer 10

In 50years, it won't be America, but Mexica........