What are the differences between conservatives and liberals?

Question

This may be a really dumb question to a lot of people, but I'm only a teenager and I'm trying to figure out which one I am, or if i'm moderate. My family is conservative and I was basically raised to be one, but I want to have my own beliefs.

Answer 1

First, I am glad that you are taking an interest in politics.  Finding where you fit in the political spectrum can be complicated.  Do not let emotions be your only guide.  

CONSERVATIVES - believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense.  Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals.





Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems.

LIBERALS - believe in governmental action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all, and that it is the duty of the State to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights.  Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need.  Believe that people are basically good.



Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve people's problems.

Answer 2

Research your question using the internet. You can use the internet for more than downloading music and looking at what Lindsay Lohan is up to!

Answer 3

the practical difference is only from whom they take their brides.....however......you probably want to hear that a conservative believes change should occur slowly and cautiously (if at all) while a liberal believes in more immediate or more radical change.  

Answer 4

Defining principles of conservatism:

1. Belief in natural law

2. Belief in established institutions

3. Preference for liberty over equality

4. Suspicion of power - and of human nature

5. Belief in exceptionalism

6. Belief in the individual

Defining principles of liberalism:

1. Belief in positive law

2. Faith in utopianism

3. Preference for equality over liberty

4. Belief in the benevolence of government and individuals

5. Belief in the perfectibility of human beings

6. Belief in the communal state

Answer 5

Not a dumb question.

But, you won't get an objective answer here.

I would encourage you to do some independent research elsewhere.

P.s. Don't confuse classical liberalism with modern liberalism.

Answer 6

Conservatives say I should be able to make choices for myself and accept the consequences. If my choices lead to me making a lot of money, that money is rightfully mine. If i dont work hard and choose to do other things and am poor, thats my choice. If i choose to, i can give money to the poor but it should be my choice.

Liberals say that some people don't have the same opportunities as others. Rich people have had more opportunities than poor people. Because the have recieved more from this countrty, they should give more back, through taxes. Some of this should be given to the poor to help them improve. Most people won't do this voulentarily or won't give enough so the government should do it.

Answer 7

go there and read

http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/other/co...

hopefully this helps

Answer 8

conservatives are dangerous hypocrites

liberals are dangerous idealists

Just be yourself and don't put yourself in a category. Think for yourself !  

Answer 9

Republicans (conservative) = Individualism and Free Enterprise

Democrats (not all are liberal, some are actually normal) = Unionization = Big Government Intervention = Socialism = Big Brother

The Unions and the Chicago Mafia political machine are pushing Obama to win (he is a unionizer).  Hollywood supports him because they are Union too.  Media - Union, Teachers = Union

Everything that a child learns from an early age is influenced by the Union bias.  There is a book that you may have read called "1984" by George Orwell and it tell of how a biased culture becomes brainwashed and they don't even know it.

For those that don't know "1984", it was Published in 1948 and set thirty-six years in the future, 1984 is George Orwell's dark vision of the future. Written while Orwell was dying and based on the work of the Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin, it is a chilling depiction of how the power of the state could come to dominate the lives of individuals through cultural conditioning. This apocalyptic satire shows with grim conviction how Winston Smith’s individual personality is wiped out and how he is recreated in the Party’s image until he does not just obey but even loves Big Brother.

Orwell’s primary goal in 1984 is to demonstrate the terrifying possibilities of a totalitarian government. The protagonist, Winston, is the looking glass into Orwell’s horrifying perfect communist society, where all of Winston’s worst paranoids and fears are realities. Winston’s personality is such that he resists the groupthink pressure that is put upon him, he attempts to gain individuality throughout the plot. This resistance allows the reader to gain a thorough understanding of the Party’s harsh oppression.

Winston’s reflections in the novel give Orwell the opportunity to discuss the deeper issues at work, issues such as the mind control, through propaganda and technology, and the total manipulation through conditioning and rewriting of history. Winston is made to take part in the evil that he resists, through his occupation.

Winston hates the party with a passion, and throughout seeks to test his boundaries and defy its power. He commits many “crimes” such as writing “down with big brother” in his diary, carrying on with Julia, and his attempt to join the anti-Party Brotherhood. However during this he is acutely aware that his attempts to resist are futile, and is confident that his fate is set. It turns out that all his suspicions were justified, and that his rebellions were playing into the Party’s hands.

The will of Winston is the will of an individual, and represents Orwell’s own desperate reaction to the totalitarian governments that he saw coming to power at this time. Winston sees an evil as Orwell does, and seeks to resist it in any way that’s possible. The will of the individual, Winston, is going against the will of the majority, the Party. This illustrates how fruitless Orwell saw communist government, where the will of the majority was not the will of the majority, but of the majority leaders.

The will of the majority in 1984 is to keep total order through any means necessary, and the majority leaders do not consider the well being of the majority in the majority’s best interest. Orwell illustrates a very “silly” government, and appears to make mockery of the effectiveness of these governments.

Winston lives in a world where optimism is impossibility, as demonstrated by Julia’s optimism. Julia, although a member of this society, is not as paranoid as Winston. She is more concerned with enjoying herself, and making more practical plans to avoid Big Brother. Julia has no intention of being caught, and unlike Winston, does not believe that it will happen.

She is optimistic throughout the play, and in the end, her optimism is crushed as she is caught, and any optimism that Winston may have had, was crushed with it. He sees optimism as impossibility, and lacking real hope, gives into false hope.

Winston, as Orwell’s fatalist totalitarian victim, gives the reader a terrifying glimpse into a future where the will of the individual and the will of the majority are not distinguished, but are simply blurred together through the horrifying use of technology, conditioning, and propaganda.

Anyway, hope I helped some.

Answer 10

Dems-Change

Cons.-Little bit of change, but keep things generally the same.

Answer 11

Liberals love freedom and America.  Cons do not.

Answer 12

Apparently you want to think for yourself and that makes you a Democrat. Tradition would hold that Dems are blue collar, and Reps are white collar.  Or worker bees and management. Things have changed a bit, but Conservatives like the status quo, where as Democrats like individual freedoms. That should be enough to get you started, and thinking.  What ever you decide, get involved and vote.

Answer 13

Aggression and forcing your christian based beliefs on to others vs. diplomacy, democracy and supporting god given rights.

Answer 14

Conservative: As the name implies, keep things similar. They are generally the party that runs on "values" and being financially sound

Liberal: You are a liberal if you believe in any form of change, though it is used to describe Democrats even when they are the status quo for some reason. The Dems normally run on social issues.

Answer 15

conservatives and liberals are on separate sides of a scale, conservatives are what is called the "right side", and liberals the "left side".

There are certain issues that are always being addressed between the two sides such as; abortion, g*y rights, women's rights, drug control, and gun control.

most republicans tend to be to the right and most democrats to the left.

A far "leftist" is pro-choice and pro g*y rights, and favors strict and heavy gun control laws.

A far "rightist" wants abortion to be illegal and g*y marriage to stay illegal, and is very lenient on gun control.

most people find themselves in the middle. Or leaning towards one side, but if someone is far to either side of the spectrum they are usually radicals.  

Answer 16

Well, you could look this up on wikipedia and get a general idea of what each one stands for.  I think it's great that you want to make up your own mind.

There are so many differences it's hard to sum up on here.  However, some of the basic differences are as follows.  Liberals tend to believe in more equal rights for all people, so they tend to believe in equal pay for equal work (as in no gender discrimination), a woman's right to choose (abortion), and they also believe that g*y couples should have some of the benefits that others have (i.e. insurance benefits).  They also believe in helping out the poor through government programs and tend to favor more environmental policies.

Conservatives, on the other hand, are just that.  For example, they don't believe in g*y rights, they haven't done much for women's rights, and they believe in a more limited government.  Conservatives also tend to be religious and think religion should play a bigger role in our society.

Well, those are just some of the differences.  Hope this helps.  By the way, I don't really like the labels "liberal" and "conservative."  Is caring about the environment really that "liberal," or is it just responsible?

Answer 17

Conservatives have an ideal of how they envision the past history of the USA and they strive to maintain those standards. They are primarily Christian and Capitalist in their thinking.

Liberals envision the future of the United States as being open, accepting of all races, genders and cultures and strive to minimize wars, poverty and environmental damage.

I hope that helps.