What do these political terms mean? - Left - Right - Liberal - Conservative - Progressive

[Travlyr]

What do people mean when they use the terms left, right, liberal, conservative, or progressive politically? When I read an article or post where the author uses these terms, my brain generally goes into default; "What do they mean by that?" Yet, I see it all the time.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the terms thusly:

I. Left wing:
the leftist division of a group (as a political party)
Example:

• His nomination is supported by the party's left wing but opposed by the right wing.
• <the left wing has lost considerable influence in the party, which is now aggressively courting political moderates>

II. Right wing:
the rightist division of a group or party
Example:
His nomination is supported by the party's left wing but opposed by the right wing.

III. Liberalism

• the quality or state of being liberal
• a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity
• a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard
• a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties
• such a philosophy that considers government as a crucial instrument for amelioration of social inequities (as those involving race, gender, or class)
• of or constituting a political party advocating or associated with the principles of political liberalism; especially : of or constituting a political party in the United Kingdom associated with ideals of individual especially economic freedom, greater individual participation in government, and constitutional, political, and administrative reforms designed to secure these objectives

VI. Conservative:

• of or relating to a philosophy of conservatism
• of or constituting a political party professing the principles of conservatism
• tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions
• the principles and policies of a Conservative party
• disposition in politics to preserve what is established
• a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change;
• such a philosophy calling for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs (as retirement income or health-care coverage)
• the tendency to prefer an existing or traditional situation to change

V. Progressive

• the principles, beliefs, or practices of progressive
• the political and economic doctrines advocated by the Progressives
• the theories of progressive education
• of, relating to, or characterized by progress
• making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities
• of, relating to, or constituting an educational theory marked by emphasis on the individual child, informality of classroom procedure, and encouragement of self-expression
• of, relating to, or characterized by progression
• moving forward or onward

• Do liberals really believe in a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard?
• Are conservatives really rather rigid and traditional, or are they for lower taxes, limited government regulation of business and investing, a strong national defense, and individual financial responsibility for personal needs?
• Are progressives the only ones who advocate making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities?
• Are liberals left, conservatives right, and progressives moderates?

If so, then I must be a left, right, progressive, liberal, conservative constitutional republican.

[noxagol]

In my mind, there are only two political philosophies, statist and libertarian. A statist believes in using the power of the state to affect change in the world. A libertarian does not. A statist thinks the world can be molded into something better through the power of force. A libertarian believes the world, if allowed, will naturally evolve into something better through trial and error or survival of the best way of doing things. The best method of doing whatever will win out simply because it is better. A statist believes they must force people to do the 'best' thing.

A conservative, liberal (non-classical, liberal used to mean the same thing as libertarian, but the name was hijacked by progressives/socialists/communists. Now, the term 'classical liberal' is used to refer to that instead of liberal), democrat, republican, progressive, they are all statists.

Ron Paul is a libertarian. He does not advocate for the use of state power to mold the world into something better. Someone like, well anyone else in the national government is a statist. They all advocate for the use of state power to try and make the world better.

[Travlyr]

In my mind, there are only two political philosophies, statist and libertarian.

I agree with the bold part; however, I would call them liberty vs. tyranny.

[tangent4ronpaul]

It would depend on the year and the country.

Liberal used to mean Libertarian in this country.

Liberal still means Libertarian in England.

-t

[noxagol]

I agree with the bold part; however, I would call them liberty vs. tyranny.

Semantics

[Kludge]

• Conservative - Belief in maintaining natural equality, extends into belief of nationalism, using gov't to take from all for protection. War beliefs are mixed, but generally biased toward interventionism, with isolationism being a taboo topic. Republic > Democracy.
  
  • Fascism - Gov't control of all business.
  • Social Conservative (Crusader) - Some gov't control (sometimes ownership) of business, but especially citizens to ensure moral normalcy.
  • Traditional Conservative - Ron Paul on the role of state gov't.
• Liberal - Belief in creating equality, using gov't to take from the selfish and give to the poor. Philosophical liberals, like those in the US Communist & Socialist parties, are often consistently anti-war. Democracy > Republic.
  
  • Communism - Gov't control of all business.
  • Socialism (Progressive) - Some gov't control (& sometimes ownership) of people, but especially businesses to ensure everyone can do as their neighbor does.
  • Classical Liberalism (Civil Libertarian) - Ron Paul on the role of federal gov't.
• "Radical" (unbiased by left-right axis)
  
  • Totalitarianism
  • Anarchism

(sorry this is a bit short. I accidentally deleted my other post)
(Edit: ownership of people = state guardianship, like CPS/DHS [Human Services] custody over those deemed unfit to care for themselves]

[Travlyr]

Semantics

Semantics: the study of meanings.
Agreed.

[kah13176]

Classical liberalism is an economic term that means government shouldn't be involved in the economy - free markets.
Social liberalism is the horse $#@! you see today when people call others liberals.

[Travlyr]

Thanks Kludge. Your understanding is more clear than mine... I appreciate your response. Accordingly, I could be classified as a Traditional Conservative Classical Liberal. How about right vs. left. Is politically left more aligned with a Classical Liberal or a Traditional Conservative?

[dannno]

I recommend watching the rest, here is a link to the playlist:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdHJz...x=0&playnext=1

[1000-points-of-fright]

At this point in history those terms really mean nothing.

You wanna $#@! people up? Call yourself a Conservative Liberal. As in... "I'm very conservative regarding the amount power given to the government, but I'm very liberal regarding the amount of freedom that individuals should have.

Liberal Conservative works too.

[Brett85]

[LIST]
[*]Traditional Conservative - Ron Paul on the role of state gov't.

Interesting. That's my user name.

[Kludge]

Thanks Kludge. Your understanding is more clear than mine... I appreciate your response. Accordingly, I could be classified as a Traditional Conservative Classical Liberal. How about right vs. left. Is politically left more aligned with a Classical Liberal or a Traditional Conservative?

Depends on factors like if you'd support some type of social security (possibly in the form of basic food, shelter, healthcare) (liberal), and whether you think citizens should be limited in how they're allowed to govern, as would be in a Republic (conservative). Usually, if you favor people being made as equal as possible (one vote per person, progressive tax, basic healthcare for everyone, "equal employment"), you're liberal, but if you're more interested in allowing people to be as best as they're able while also allowing them to fail (representative gov't with restrictions on what they're allowed to legislate, low flat tax, deregulation, no social safety net), you're likely conservative. Then there's the "moderate" government we have now where liberals and conservatives compromise on everything which has resulted in a "difficulty curve" (through progressive taxation) to earning wealth with those taxes going to pay for defense and welfare, so it's more difficult (but still very possible) for people to accumulate much wealth but people who don't contribute and go on Welfare are given just enough to survive comfortably (but won't have as nice a lifestyle as someone who works).

There's a really spiffy chart the recently-dead David Nolan made up which is pretty decent at declaring two axises to figure out where a person is politically.

Here's one of those charts with some major political figures which's been circulated on the Internet:



A quiz with some more elaborate definitions than what I gave: http://www.quiz2d.com/

[ClayTrainor]

In my mind, there are only two political philosophies, statist and libertarian. A statist believes in using the power of the state to affect change in the world. A libertarian does not.

Yup. Statism bundles all those left vs right political terms up into one neat, little, and easy to understand package.

[Brett85]

A quiz with some more elaborate definitions than what I gave: http://www.quiz2d.com/

"You like your government very, very small—or none at all. You are a hardcore libertarian."

Hmmm. According to certain people here I'm a statist and authoritarian. Could the quiz be wrong?

[Travlyr]

"You like your government very, very small—or none at all. You are a hardcore libertarian."

Hmmm. According to certain people here I'm a statist and authoritarian. Could the quiz be wrong?

Hey! Same here. "You like your government very, very small—or none at all. You are a hardcore libertarian."

I certainly haven't been very effective in communicating my position. Dang.

[TortoiseDream]

Yup. Statism bundles all those left vs right political terms up into one neat, little, and easy to understand package.

Yup. It just boils down to peace vs. violence!

[Corydoras]

Kludge is being good and careful and serious.

But when you are reading in the media, where people are mendacious and careless and stupid, keep in mind what Lewis Carroll wrote in Through the Looking-Glass:

"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less."

"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."

"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master - - that's all."

[HazyHusky420]

left/liberal - opposes economic freedoms and often opposes other freedoms

right/conservative - opposes civil liberties and often opposes some economic freedoms (usually out of nationalism)

libertarian - very different and mutually exclusive

[HazyHusky420]

How the $#@! does Gingrich, Reagan and Clinton end up on the libertarian side?!!!! They need to be MUCH closer to the bottom. I'll pass on Nader because unlike Clinton he has some respect for civil liberties but come on even FDR is too far up. In fact switch the places of Clinton and Ghandi and then it will be a little more accurate.

[ronpaulhawaii]

At this point in history those terms really mean nothing.

You wanna $#@! people up? Call yourself a Conservative Liberal. ...

lulz - that has been on my FB since joining