Liberal
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 school
- protection of all of God's creation even if advocated by atheists
- 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
- ↑ Etymology [1]
- ↑ Looming War Isn't About Chemical Warheads or Human Rights: It's About Oil, Robert Fisk, Independent/UK, 18 January 2003.
- ↑ National Strategy for Victory in Iraq, November 30, 2005. retrieved 22 March 2007.
- ↑ http://www.alde.eu
- ↑ http://www.liberal-international.org/
- ↑ http://www.pes.org
- ↑ Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal
