Modern Conservatism, Modern liberalism

Okay so we had a reading lesson in poli sci today and here are some things i learned, but kinda already knew about the left and right.

Modern Liberals support high government involvement in industry and businesses, but little to none in social issues

Modern conservatives support little to no government involvement in industry and business, but high government involvement in social issues.

Socialism
1. a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

In definition, modern liberals are socialists. haha.

 

i'd love some input

 

"Liberals demand that the social order should in principle be capable of explaining itself at the tribunal of each person's understanding." Jeremy Waldron

I sure hope this is a beginning class as that is a bit simplistic and actually wrong.

Ideology in a Nutshell:

Conservatism in a Nutshell

A man is lost in the woods and it starts snowing, off in the distance he sees a cabin. Slowly he makes his way only to find a locked gate, he rings the bell and a voice asks what he wants. He tells the voice his plight and is told by the voice that there is a church down the road and that they will pray for him.

Libertarianism in a Nutshell

The snow continues and growing more tired and cold, the man sees another cabin, struggling he barely makes it, he knocks and finally opens the door to warm himself. There is a full kettle of hot soup, he helps himself. Soon out of a back room comes a man, he scolds the man and tells him to leave as this is private property. The man stumbles out the door.

Liberalism in a Nutshell

Nearly exhausted the man sees a third cabin. Slowly he makes his way, opens the door and warms himself. There is soup in a kettle and he helps himself. From a back room a woman enters, she sits down next to him and they talk. He sleeps the night on the floor and the next morning goes on his way.

(with apologies to Jeremy Waldron)




Read Rawls, Waldron, Dworkin, Berlin, or Bernard Williams.

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"In his book Political Liberalism, John Rawls offers a general description of a liberal political outlook. He intends the description to cover views ranging from the classical liberalism of Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman, arguably in the tradition of Locke and Adam Smith, to the more egalitarian liberalism of his own Theory of Justice. Rawls writes, "the content of a liberal political conception of justice is given by three main features:

1. a specification of basic rights, liberties and opportunities (of a kind familiar from constitutional democratic regimes);

2. an assignment of special priority to those rights, liberties and opportunities, especially with respect of claims of the general good and perfectionist values; and

3. measures assuring to all citizens adequate all-purpose means to make effective use of their liberties and opportunities.

These [three] elements can be understood in different ways, so that there are many variant liberalisms."

Boston Review — Always at the After Party

 

it is a beggining class, and that was in the book which cost me a ton of money, so i'm gonna go with it on this one.

 

you're describing classic liberalism. when clearly i said modern liberalism

 

I think modern liberals would better be described as pro Welfare State and pro Capitialism. They support the capitalist system with some governmental regulation and they believe that citizens are entitled to recieve certain benefits from the state (healthcare, social safety net programs, welfare, social security, and other benefits). Also, the Republican party has pretty much abopted many of the policies of the welfare state as a permanent fixture. I wouldnt say that modern liberals are socialist.

 

as i say, by definition.

 

Modern liberalism is nothing like the definition of the word. Originally liberals were not about big government (a common philosophy with the original conservatives) however these days both political alignments have changed, thus spawning the terms neolib and neocon. When I first learned about politics I was a liberal, wanted equality for all by the law and loved protesting and still love freedom of speech, however I do not agree with the government taking control of anything.

 

I have yet to see a Democrat campaign on nationalizing all private businesses.

 

thank you for reiterating everything already outlined.