Gina-Marie CheesemanThe Real Meaning of Liberal and Conservative
September 29th 2007 23:28
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The words liberal, conservative, and neo-conservative are tossed around much when the subject of American politics is discussed. Perhaps a mini-lesson is needed on what liberalism, conservatism, and neo-conservatism really mean.
Liberalism: a breakdown
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines the word liberal as “(in a political context) favoring individual liberty, free trade, and moderate political and social reform.” The word comes from the Latin word “liber” which means “free man.” Liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equal opportunity. It has its roots in the Western Enlightenment. There are four types of liberalism: classical liberalism, economic liberalism, neo-liberalism, and social liberalism.
Classical liberalism is the “belief in liberty,” according to John C. Goodman of the National Center for Policy Analysis. Classical liberalism dominated American politics before the 20th century. Government serves to protect its citizen’s rights.
Economic liberalism became famous after Adam Smith’s book The Wealth of Nations was published in 1776. Smith promoted a “hands off” economic policy and free trade. He wanted no government economic controls, in other words. Neo-liberalism is a revival of economic liberalism. Its main tenets are the rule of the market, cutting expenditures for social services, deregulation, and privatization.
In social liberalism the government’s role is to protect its citizen’s rights and opportunities. Social liberalism accepts government regulations such as anti-trust laws and minimum wage. It rejects both the extremes of socialism and economic/neo-liberalism.
Conservatism & Neo-conservatism: a breakdown
The word conservative is defined in the Concise Oxford Dictionary as “(in a political context) favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially conservative ideas.” The word comes from the Latin term “conservare” which means “to keep, guard, observe.” Conservatism is a political philosophy which is adverse to sudden change, and favors tradition (be it cultural or religious).
Stephen Eric Bronner, political philosopher and professor, believes that neoconservatives are concerned with “instituting a new respect for traditional political authority, capitalism, and the entire complex of concerns associated with “family values.” According to Irving Kristol, considered the godfather of neoconservatism, a “basic assumption of neoconservatism” is that when affluence spreads “among all classes, a property-owning and tax-paying population will, in time, become less vulnerable to egalitarian illusions and demagogic appeals and more sensible about the fundamentals of economic reckoning.” In other words, the government must not regulate the economic sector.
In an essay for The Weekly Standard Kristol asserted that “Neocons do not like the concentration of services in the welfare state and are happy to study alternative ways of delivering these services.” The ‘alternative ways’ are code words for private government contracts, the type doled out in the billions to corporations like Halliburton for the reconstruction of Iraq.
In the same essay Kristol claimed neoconservatives do not have a set of beliefs concerning foreign policy, but “a set of attitudes derived from historical experience.” One of those ‘attitudes’ is patriotism, “a natural and healthy sentiment” which should be “encouraged by both private and public institutions.” Kristol called patriotism a “powerful American sentiment.” The second neoconservative ‘attitude’ is the belief that “world government is a terrible idea since it can lead to world tyranny.” International institutions are regarded with suspicion if neoconservatives believe they “point to an ultimate world government.”
Liberalism: a breakdown
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines the word liberal as “(in a political context) favoring individual liberty, free trade, and moderate political and social reform.” The word comes from the Latin word “liber” which means “free man.” Liberalism emphasizes individual rights and equal opportunity. It has its roots in the Western Enlightenment. There are four types of liberalism: classical liberalism, economic liberalism, neo-liberalism, and social liberalism.
Classical liberalism is the “belief in liberty,” according to John C. Goodman of the National Center for Policy Analysis. Classical liberalism dominated American politics before the 20th century. Government serves to protect its citizen’s rights.
Economic liberalism became famous after Adam Smith’s book The Wealth of Nations was published in 1776. Smith promoted a “hands off” economic policy and free trade. He wanted no government economic controls, in other words. Neo-liberalism is a revival of economic liberalism. Its main tenets are the rule of the market, cutting expenditures for social services, deregulation, and privatization.
In social liberalism the government’s role is to protect its citizen’s rights and opportunities. Social liberalism accepts government regulations such as anti-trust laws and minimum wage. It rejects both the extremes of socialism and economic/neo-liberalism.
Conservatism & Neo-conservatism: a breakdown
The word conservative is defined in the Concise Oxford Dictionary as “(in a political context) favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially conservative ideas.” The word comes from the Latin term “conservare” which means “to keep, guard, observe.” Conservatism is a political philosophy which is adverse to sudden change, and favors tradition (be it cultural or religious).
Stephen Eric Bronner, political philosopher and professor, believes that neoconservatives are concerned with “instituting a new respect for traditional political authority, capitalism, and the entire complex of concerns associated with “family values.” According to Irving Kristol, considered the godfather of neoconservatism, a “basic assumption of neoconservatism” is that when affluence spreads “among all classes, a property-owning and tax-paying population will, in time, become less vulnerable to egalitarian illusions and demagogic appeals and more sensible about the fundamentals of economic reckoning.” In other words, the government must not regulate the economic sector.
In an essay for The Weekly Standard Kristol asserted that “Neocons do not like the concentration of services in the welfare state and are happy to study alternative ways of delivering these services.” The ‘alternative ways’ are code words for private government contracts, the type doled out in the billions to corporations like Halliburton for the reconstruction of Iraq.
In the same essay Kristol claimed neoconservatives do not have a set of beliefs concerning foreign policy, but “a set of attitudes derived from historical experience.” One of those ‘attitudes’ is patriotism, “a natural and healthy sentiment” which should be “encouraged by both private and public institutions.” Kristol called patriotism a “powerful American sentiment.” The second neoconservative ‘attitude’ is the belief that “world government is a terrible idea since it can lead to world tyranny.” International institutions are regarded with suspicion if neoconservatives believe they “point to an ultimate world government.”
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Comment by Jim Stillman
Political Certainty
Really Long Link
Really Long Link
It may be wishful thinking but I see the lunatic Right (Ann Coulture, Bill O'Reilly, et al) being recognized for what they are and losing influence except for a small group of those with similar narrow-mindness.
Comment by Gina-Marie Cheeseman
The Truthteller
I will read your article and comment.