Which values are closest to your own? Liberalism vs Conservatism

[Wood]

Sorry forgot the poll with the other one :S

This has nothing to do with the election, or even the parties involved. PLEASE don't add partisan Biases, I just randomly got these definitions from Google if you have a better PRO definitions for either side please feel free to post them or PM me and I'll even exchange def for you. Do not bother with posting negative definitions of the ideology you dislike, for everyone seems to have too much time for the ad homenim and not enough for actual meaningful dialogue.

So anyways the question is which of these contrasting political philosophies relates best to what you believe in. There are only two choices, sorry, but cop outs aren't cool. The definitions are here, I'll say this one more time, this has nothing to do with the election and whether or not you like the way these policies have been implemented or currupted in various political systems.


Liberalism:

A political philosophy "historically associated with the idea of freedom: the civil freedom of the individual: free political institutions; freedom of religion; free enterprise and free trade in economics." In its contemporary form, liberalism includes a belief in democratic capitalism, and in the duty of the state to alleviate social ills, and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights. (Alan Bullock and Oliver Stallybrass (eds.), The Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought (London 1977), 347). Political parties calling themselves "Liberal" do not always reflect "liberal" values.

http://www.heritage.nf.ca/confederation/glossary.html

Conservatism:

Political philosophy that tends to support the status-quo and advocate change only in moderation. Upholds the value of tradition and seeks to preserve all that is good about the past.

http://www.americaforamericans.org/definitions.htm

[jhunter]

Where are the other choices? I'd count myself as a Red Tory/Blue Grit. I can't remember which one: moderate to forward thinking social concerns, with conservative financial values and neo-classical economic values.

[ctjj.stevenson]

This are straight from my Canadian history class notes. My professor thought us the true definitions of these words before the course began, because what people see as liberals or conservatives are not the same today as they were in the past. These terms were fundemental to understand the course.

LIBERAL -
- Protestant church - focus on you
- Individual freedom - liberal
- idea of the individual makes the decision
- Out of liberalism come the idea of elections
- Place authority out of the group and on the individual


CONSERVATIVE -
- the word means - "No man is an island"
- People are connect to each other
- Army/football team are conservative institutions
- out of conservatism comes out of health care
- Conservatives believe in public education
- "whatever is done to one person, it affect all the other"
- You can't make a desision that can not effect everybody else.
- Need an authority : This become the basis of a monarch - king - The king ruled in the name of everyone "father of the people"
- Group - focus of conservativism
- Catholic church

Therefore, the Liberal Party is more conservative and the Conservative Party is more liberal.

[Wood]

This are straight from my Canadian history class notes. My professor thought us the true definitions of these words before the course began, because what people see as liberals or conservatives are not the same today as they were in the past. These terms were fundemental to understand the course.

LIBERAL -
- Protestant church - focus on you
- Individual freedom - liberal
- idea of the individual makes the decision
- Out of liberalism come the idea of elections
- Place authority out of the group and on the individual


CONSERVATIVE -
- the word means - "No man is an island"
- People are connect to each other
- Army/football team are conservative institutions
- out of conservatism comes out of health care
- Conservatives believe in public education
- "whatever is done to one person, it affect all the other"
- You can't make a desision that can not effect everybody else.
- Need an authority : This become the basis of a monarch - king - The king ruled in the name of everyone "father of the people"
- Group - focus of conservativism
- Catholic church

Therefore, the Liberal Party is more conservative and the Conservative Party is more liberal.

Your conclusion is based upon the political spectrum of about 400 years ago. Conservatives generally look at the past and the present, liberals look at the present and the future.

The Status Quo during the french revolution and the protestant reformation is obviously different than todays.

[wb256]

Actually, all of those definitions are wrong...and correct. They've been used and re-used a billion times. No one's even mentioned the difference between big C and little C conservatism.

Liberal and Conservative are words with so many connotations and multiple meanings that they've lost all meaning these days.

If you want to know the opinions of people, I wouldn't use those words to guage them anymore.