Democracy is a Form of Government Where Power Originates With the Citizens Fact
Democracy is a form of government where power originates with the citizens, the citizens then either rule directly or delegate power to representatives.
Liberalism and Conservatism
Liberalism is the ideology of liberty and equality, conservatism is the ideology of authority, hierarchy, tradition, and order.
Liberalism is a political philosophy based on the principles of liberty and equality that grew out of the Age of Enlightenment.
If you don’t want the King or Church taking your life, liberty, and property, if instead you believe you have “the right” of “consent”… you might be a liberal.
Likewise, conservatism is the opposition philosophy of liberalism. It is the check that balances liberalism.
both liberalism and conservatism come in classical and social forms and speak to issues of state, social issues, and economics. In terms of economics there are also classical and social forms of liberal and conservative economics.
There are a number of different forms of liberalism and conservatism which each denote differing ideologies, but they generally all share core principles (like all liberal ideologies share basic liberal and left-wing planks and all conservative ideologies generally share basic conservative and right-wing planks).
With the above said:
- Liberalism is generally understood as an ideology containing the principles of democracy, republicanism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, free speech, free trade, freedom of religion, and other general ideologies that favor human rights and the liberties and the well being of individuals and groups.
- Conservatism is the ideology of governmental, cultural, and economic order, tradition, hierarchy, and authority that seeks to keep to the old ways and use authority to ensure order.
- Somewhat confusingly, in the social forms, social conservatism tends to want to conserve back to some classical liberal values and social liberalism tends to embrace the authority of the state to ensure social welfare. Thus their left-right ideologies are somewhat mixed in the social form.
Factoids tagged with "Liberalism and Conservatism"
The Poor and Middle Class are Subject to the Estate Tax Myth
It is a myth that the estate tax hurts poor and middle class Americans, only the richest Americans (0.2% of families) pay the estate tax.
People Tend to Act Out of Perceived Self Interest Fact
It isn’t true that everyone acts out of self interest, but generally people tend to act in accord with their perceived self interest and “moral sentiments.”
Liberalism, Christianity, Capitalism, Banking, Socialism, and More all have Jewish Origins Fact
Lord Byron said something like, “the Jewish people gave mankind their first major religion, Christianity, and their second, Capitalism.” That isn’t too far off from the truth (as Milton Friedman also noted).
The Civil War was About Slavery Fact
The Civil war was about slavery, but it wasn’t “just about slavery”. Sectionalism, Protectionism, and States’ Rights were also factors.
Philosophy Requires Liberty Fact
To advance culture philosophically (not just technologically or economically) liberty is required. The major philosophical works came from liberal nations.
Wage Slavery and Chattel Slavery are Different Fact
Wage slavery (where an entity’s livelihood depends on wages or a salary) and actual “chattel” slavery (where an entity is enslaved by another entity) are very different.
Increasing the Minimum Wage Stimulates the Economy Fact
Generally speaking, a modest increase to the minimum wage will increase household spending and thus stimulate the economy. However, this can be offset by job loss or hour reduction, inflation, and other factors.
Pinball Used to Be Illegal Fact
Between the 1940s and the 1970s pinball used to illegal in parts of the United States. It was thought of as a gambling “game of chance” and was caught up in the post-prohibition push-back against gambling.
The Greeks Founded the Basis of Utilitarianism and Consequentialism Fact
Although we can consider Jeremy Bentham the founder of modern Utilitarianism, and his successor John Stuart Mill the one who popularized it, early Greek philosophers like Aristotle, Aristippus and Epicurus presented the original Utilitarian / Consequentialist / Greatest Happiness theories.
Machiavelli Said, “the Ends Justify the Means” Myth
Niccolò Machiavelli never said, “the ends justify the means”, although he did elude to a complex version of the concept in his Prince.
Mozart’s Magic Flute Contains Freemasonry Metaphors Fact
Mozart’s the Magic Flute is largely a metaphor about the Freemasonry and the Enlightenment augmented by crude jokes.
There is a Gender Pay Gap Fact
The gender pay gap is real, and so is the gender earnings gap. Even after all reasonable differences are factored out, an unexplained pay gap between men and women exists across the board.
John Locke is the Father of Liberalism Fact
John Locke can be considered the father of liberalism. His theories on life, liberty, property, consent, and the social contract form the foundation of classical liberalism.
Charging Interest Used to be Viewed a Sin Fact
Usury (charging interest in moneylending, especially at high rates) used to be viewed as a sin by many religions and was banned by many cultures.
Work Creates Private Property and Economic Value Fact
As John Locke and Adam Smith elude, physical work creates private property and gives possessions exchange-value (value in a trade).
Athens had a Democracy Fact
Classical Athens had a type of Direct Democracy that included direct voting on laws and election by lottery, but participation was limited to adult male citizens who owned land.
Both Extreme Equality and Extreme Inequality Corrupt Democracy Fact
Extreme equality and an extreme inequality are both equally as dangerous in a democratic society. In both cases it corrupts the government.
Protestantism is like Classical Liberalism and Catholicism like Social Liberalism Fact
Historically, Protestantism is like classical liberalism (individual liberties and rights) and Catholicism is like social liberalism (state enforced social justice).
Liberty and Equality are Mutually Dependent Fact
We present an essay on the purpose of the laws and government to better understand how liberty, rights, equality, and justice are inseparable in nature and in civil society.
Communism and Fascism are Different Fact
Both Communism and Fascism can be similar in practice in their authoritative forms, but the two are very different ideologically.
Liberal’s and Conservative’s Brains Are Different on Average Fact
We know liberals and conservatives think differently, however science suggests differences not only in thinking process, but in brain structure as well.
America’s Founding Fathers Were Liberals Fact
America’s founding fathers were classical liberals, this means they favored liberty, private property, capitalism, freedom of religion, and a limited Republican style of government.
America is a Christian Nation Myth
America is not “a Christian nation” in terms of having a national religion. Despite a majority of Americans being Christian, the Bill of Rights ensures religious liberty for all.
The United States of America is a Democracy Fact
The United States is both a Republic and a Democracy. Specifically, the United States is a Constitutional FederalRepublic with a strong Democratic tradition and many democratic elements especially on a local level. Despite the democratic elements and traditions, the U.S. is not however a “Direct Democracy” (where people vote on laws directly*).
Democrats and Republicans Switched Platforms Fact
The US political parties, now called Democrats and Republicans, switched platform planks, ideologies, and members many times in American history.
Blog Posts tagged with "Liberalism and Conservatism"
Political Ideology Simplified
Most political positions can be described using a limited set of political terms related to classical and social liberalism and conservatism.
What is Social Conservatism?
Social Conservatism is the ideology of social hierarchy and tradition that mixes liberal and conservative views. It comes in political and economic forms.
What is Classical Conservatism?
Classical Conservatism is the ideology of authority, hierarchy, order, and tradition (like classical aristocracy). It comes in political and economic forms.
What is Social Liberalism?
Social liberalism is the ideology of collective liberties and rights that favors social welfare and justice. It comes in a political and economic form.
What is Classical Liberalism?
Classical liberalism is the ideology of liberties, rights, individualism, reason, and tolerance that comes in a political and economic form.
Neoliberalism Explained
Neoliberalism is an economically-minded evolution of classical liberalism focused on deregulation, trade, and the private market. It is a “middle way” or “third way” between liberalism and conservatism.
What is the Difference Between Logic and Reason?
Reason and logic are two closely related forms of thinking involving the comparison of terms that can be studied in terms of mathematics or philosophy and can be considered together as well as apart.
Modern, Historic, and General Social Class Systems
All nations have some sort of class system or class structure, generally based on wealth, birth, or status. We explain modern and historic social class systems and the general logic behind them to see to what extent they are natural and what extent they are convention.
The Importance of Individualism
We discuss the importance of individualism and the complexities involved in balancing the spirit of Individualism with collective responsibility.
What is Conservatism?
Conservatism is the ideology of governmental, cultural, and economic order, tradition, hierarchy, and authority that generally comes in classical, social, and economic forms.
How Democracy Leads to Tyranny From Plato’s Republic
In his Republic, Plato examines how Democracy can lead to Tyranny in a republic. We explain Plato’s theory as it pertains to democracy and tyranny.
The Problem With Unsubstantiated Information and Plausible Deniability
The problem with unsubstantiated information is that it is unverified as true, and often leaked by sources with plausible deniability, which is confusing.
Equal Rights for All, Special Privileges for None
Thomas Jefferson is credited with having said, “equal rights for all, special privileges for none,” a slogan that other progressive Democrats like Williams Jennings Bryan embraced.
Where Do the Terms Democrat and Republican Come From?
We explain the meaning of Democrat, Republican, Whig, Federalist, Anti-Federalist, Union, and Confederacy the political terms the major parties used for their party names.
Types of American Progressivism
We explain the different types of American progressivism from the founders, to the Reform movements, to Bryan and the Roosevelts, to the progressives and populists of today.
Fairness, Justice, Morality, Ethics, and Utilitarianism
On this page we discuss the concepts of fairness, justice, morality, and ethics as they relate to Utilitarianism.
What is Reason?
Reason is the application of “pure logic”, empirical evidence, experiment, and skepticism to find truths, facts, and theories (AKA “critical thinking”).
Understanding Marx and Marxian Class Theory
We present a simple guide to Marx, Marxian class theory, Marx’s theory of history, and Marx’s economic theories to help westerners understand what Marx was all about.
Civil Religion
“Civil Religion” is the civic “religion” of a nation. It doesn’t describe the theological religion of a nation, but rather a quasi-religious shared identity built around national symbolism and customs.
Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
Separation of Powers describes the way in which government is divided into different branches (ex. in the U.S., the legislative, executive, and judicial). Checks and balances describe the powers each branch has to “check” the other branches and ensure a balance of power.
Political Duopolies
We explain political duopolies by looking at the political duopoly in the United States of America and other historic duopolies.
Neoliberal Globalization and Nativist Protectionism Explained
We explain neoliberalism, globalization, nativism, and protectionism and the pros and cons of “neoliberal globalization” and “nativist protectionism.”
What is the General Will?
Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s concept of the General Will roughly means “that which is in the best interest of the people” or “the public good”, and not just popular consensus.
Hume’s Fork Explained
“Hume’s fork” describes how we refer to Kant’s critique of Hume, who separated knowledge into two types: facts based on ideas and facts based on experience.
Understanding Liberalism and Conservatism
We explain liberalism and conservatism, including the different social and classical types of liberalism and conservatism.
Conservatives, Moderates, Liberals, and Progressives
We explain the political terms conservative, moderate, liberal, progressive, and radical and how they are used in different contexts.
Understanding Collectivism and Individualism
Collectivism describes ideology (political or otherwise) that favors the collective, like-wise Individualism describes ideology that favors the individual.
The Origin of the Political Terms Left and Right
The modern usage of the political terms left and right comes from the French Revolution of 1789 when supporters of the king stood to the president’s right, and supporters of the revolution to his left.
The Age of Enlightenment and the Birth of Liberalism
Classical liberalism arose in opposition to state-imposed religion and aristocracy in the 1600 – 1700’s during the Age of Enlightenment in Europe and America.
Is America an Oligarchy?
The United States is a Federal Republic with democratic values that some claim contains a growing oligarchy (or corporatocracy). We look at those claims.
What Does “Politically Correct” Mean?
Political Correctness (politically correct or PC), describes how much tolerance, sensitivity, censorship, and freedom of expression “is correct” in a given setting.
Wealth and Income Inequality
We explain economic inequality from a historical perspective, and then consider the effects of wealth inequality and income inequality in America today.
The Left-Right Political Spectrum Explained
The left-right political spectrum is used to create a model that shows a spectrum of political positions. Traditionally there is a 2-axis spectrum of left and right, but there are also many widely adopted 4-axis model.
Blog Posts tagged with "Liberalism and Conservatism"
The Philosophy Behind the Types of Governments
The Philosophy of Governments It can be very attractive to have a list of government types, but yet that list may teach a person very little. Here instead is a look at the philosophy behind the government types that create that list. For a simpler list and look, see our page on “the types of . . . read more
Book Reviews tagged with "Liberalism and Conservatism"
James Madison’s Federalist #10
Below is the Federalist #10, written by James Madison, and reprinted in full. We explain, annotate, and offer context on the Federalist #10.
Tolstoy’s There Are No Guilty People
We Present the first chapter of Leo Tolstoy’s short story, There Are No Guilty People, alongside a short introduction and a link to the full work.
Andrew Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth Explained and Annotated
Below we present an annotated version of Andrew Carnegie’s 1889 essay Wealth (better known as the Gospel of Wealth).