Difference between revisions of "Liberal"

Revision as of 03:07, March 23, 2007

Liberal is a term used in US politics to describe a person who generally is left-wing in his attitudes towards the government, establishment, and many other laws. The term was first used in reference to a political opinion c. 1801 A.D., in the aftermath of the French Revolution, when it meant "tending in favor of freedom and democracy" — at that time the liberal party was the party of individual political freedoms.^[1]

The term liberal is used in the United States to characterize the following set of beliefs:

• In favor of individual freedoms (ex. the right to own guns)[2]
• Supports a woman's right to choose if she wants an abortion
• prohibiting organized prayer in school
• equal rights for men and women, including participation by men and women in the military
• government programs to rehabilitate criminals
• same-sex marriage
• amnesty for illegal aliens
• teaching of evolution
• increased taxpayer funding of public schools
• protection of natural resources and wilderness areas
• taxpayer-funded rather than private medical care
• increased power for labor unions
• disarmament treaties
• wants a limited government role [3]
• Private property and individual contracts form the basis of liberal economic theory [4]
• reduction of military expenses
• support of affirmative action
• government-sponsored education
• opposition to American foreign policy which advocates human rights ^[2] and democracy ^[3]

Liberals in the US typically align themselves with the Democratic Party. Note, that liberal in the European context refers to the so-called moderate and center-right parties, often with a pro-business stance.^[4] The same holds for many liberal parties throughout the world.^[5]. The US definition of liberal is much more similar to the politics of European socialist or social democratic parties.^[6].

One definition of liberal is anything that is not conservative. For example, the American Heritage Dictionary includes this definition of "liberal":^[7]

Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas ...

Another definition is a liberal is the opposite of a prodigal; where a liberal consumes resources on others, a prodigal consumes his own resources on himself.

References

1. ↑ Etymology [1]
2. ↑ Looming War Isn't About Chemical Warheads or Human Rights: It's About Oil, Robert Fisk, Independent/UK, 18 January 2003.
3. ↑ National Strategy for Victory in Iraq, November 30, 2005. retrieved 22 March 2007.
4. ↑ http://www.alde.eu
5. ↑ http://www.liberal-international.org/
6. ↑ http://www.pes.org
7. ↑ Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal