What's the difference between a liberal and a conservative????

Question

I don't want to be politically incorrect. . .

Please. . .I want real answers without any biases

Answer 1

Well, I'm not an expert in terms of politics, but as I understand it, the difference is, here in the United States anyway, a "liberal" is typically a Democrat while a "conservative" would refer to a Republican.

Liberals are in favor of change-- whereas conservatives are typically in favor of keeping the "status quo."

Furthermore, liberals are also associated with people that support causes such as increased civil rights, sometimes marajuana usage for medicinal purposes (not always though), and gay rights.

That's just my opinion though. I'd advise you to refer to a government site to confirm.

Answer 2

Conservatives are more traditional, Strong economy, military power, old fashioned ethics and morales, support the kind of big brother is watching policy. Liberals want more change in government, dont really like strong militaries unless necessary, slightly socialistic views sometimes. Conservatives are on the right side far right people support more dictatorships and monarchies. Far left people support communism which sooner or later turns into a dictatorship for some reason.

Answer 3

A liberal is someone in favor of big government spending....someone like President Bush, who has yet to veto a significant government spending bill. A conservative is someone who believes the government should help promote religion and faith-based institutions...someone like President Bush. A liberal is someone who believes in affirmative action, like hiring or keeping a minority, like maybe an attorney general, even though that person is unqualified or incompetent. A conservative is someone who believes executive branch employees are not accountable to the judiciary or the legislative branch (or in the case of the VP's office, not a part of any branch of govt). A liberal is someone who would push for a new big government entitlement, such as an RX drug plan for seniors. A conservative is someone who would rig the plan to benefit only the drug companies.

Answer 4

Liberals believe in social programs, government regulations, and personal freedoms as concerns the right to your body and your sexual preference. The biggest critcism to the liberal philosophy is that it sometimes translates to higher taxes. Bill Clinton may have been thought a liberal, and socially he looked that way, but for a Democrat, he didn't spend like one and during his term in office, he spent less than tax revenue collected, resulting in a budget surplus.

Conservatives believe in not spending government money and not giving special priveliges to certain groups. Even though our president is a republican who is supposed to be conservative, and socially he has been seen that way, fiscally he has been very wasteful, especially on the Iraq war, spending money not collected in tax revenue, resulting in the largest deficit in history.

Answer 5

basic philosophy:

Liberals believe people cannot know what is best for them so government need to step in and tell them what is for the public good. (big government) anti-big business as it is bad.


conservatives believe that the people should be in charge of their own lives and that government's duties include making those laws and enforcing them. (small government) pro-business, capitalism is the best course and profits are good.

this is a simplifed version but it's why i am a conservative.

sometimes the lines are blurred and now we have big government and lots of entitlements (government should take care of me.) and big business and good profits are a crime.

Answer 6

well i think i would take that as 1. liberal meaning generious, wanting to give more. 2. conservative meaning holding back like saving money. so maybe this will be of some help that is kinda the way i took it in gov and pol 101.

Answer 7

They are opposite sides of the same coin. Two groups of extremists who think that their views are the ones that the universe should live by. However, if one does not agree with 90% of Fox News views, then Conservatives label you a liberal. Liberals allow more freedom of thought yet they are too anti-religion for my tastes.

That being said, NEO-conservatives are the most extreme of them all.

Answer 8

A conservative wants to legislate morality.

A liberal wants people to make their own decisions.

Answer 9

Generally speaking, a Conservative wants to leave you free to spend your own money. At least, that portion of your own money they don't need to fund government regulation of your private life.

Generally speaking, a Liberal wants to leave you free to live your private life any way you choose, unless that entails keeping any part of what you think is your own money that actually belongs to the government because they need it to ensure that unemployed people can live their private lives any way they choose.

Answer 10

on a very basic level, and this is over simplifying it a lot:

liberals = democrats conservatives = republicans

again this is not the cut and dry answer as there are many parties and viewpoints