conservatism vs liberalism

[jose-uno]

http://www.seedsforthought.org/articles/lib_con.htm

Conservatism vs. Liberalism


In the last few decades, the rise of extremism as a coup for power
has
relegated politics to the level of trench warfare. It views
everything
from a strategic viewpoint, shamefully dehumanizing the opposition
with a barrage of propaganda. A democracy only functions properly
when
truth and civility are maintained. While tension and disagreement is
to be expected, the narrow-minded trench warfare we see today is
hostile to everything we believe in.
Liberals have been painted as bleeding hearts whose only purpose
is to tax and spend. Conservatives have been charged with bigotry and
being in the pocket of big business.
These tiresome, manipulative mantras have been repeated so many
times, and with such venom, that they actually distort the real
definitions of conservative and liberal — to the detriment of both,
and to the betrayal of the people whose welfare and integrity
democracy is supposed to maintain.
Political corruption, found on both sides, has shattered public
confidence. Despite rhetoric to the contrary, neither extreme can
claim a moral high-ground. They approach issues as partisan
opportunities, disconnected from the whole.
It is significant to know that the original founders of the
United
States opposed the formation of a two party system. They feared that
once a party exists it would place the good of the party before the
good of the nation. The partisanship we see in today's system has
more
than justified their concern. We call true patriots to reject the
aimless mindset of contention for contention's sake.
One way we start to overcome this bickering is to examine the
actual definitions of conservatism and liberalism.


Conservatism


Conservatism is a political ideology that places great value on
learning from past solutions, tried and true, for answers we need
today. It cherishes tradition and resists change. When change is
avoidable, it is accepted slowly and with a fair amount of caution.
While 43% of Americans identify themselves as conservative, this
figure is misleading. Conservatism is divided into many disparate
parts, including social, cultural and economic conservatives,
neocons,
theocons, libertarians, and various subsets pointing to leaders of
the
past, including Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Barry Goldwater,
and
Ronald Reagan. Some of these branches are very different from one
another, with certain issues that overlap.
Conservatives are known for wanting to return to traditional
religious and ethical absolutes, automatically rejecting the
challenges of relativism. Ronald Reagan summed up his philosophy as
"limited government, individual liberty, and the prospect of a strong
America." No relativism there.
With the influence of so many competing factions today, issues
thought to be conservative have expanded to include anti-abortion,
anti-gay marriage, support of big business, lowering taxes, small
government, protection of gun ownership, and a knee-jerk dislike of
anything considered "liberal," considered an all-encompassing
pejorative.
Conservatives defend the status quo. They usually prefer
empirical
knowledge to rationalism, faith to reason, rugged individualism to
victim mentality, and a have a deep distrust of human nature, which
needs to be strongly disciplined. For the sake of freedom, they want
less laws and regulations, replaced by greater personal
responsibility. The idea of equality seems obvious mistaken. People
vary according to their talents, skills, perseverance and a host of
other variables. They reap what they sow and earn their rewards
accordingly. People are expected to pull themselves up by their
bootstraps, with neighbor helping neighbor when emergency strikes.
Success is considered admirable and hard work encouraged. That God
picks his favorites reveals its Calvinist roots.
Traditionally, conservatives lean toward isolationism and away
from nation-building and wars of choice. For many, neocons
especially,
this has changed
As you can see, conservatism supports many great ideas that can
be
found in Seed-for Thought, such as personal responsibility, self-
development, a respect for tradition, and looking to the past for
answers relevant for today.


Liberalism


Liberalism is much harder to define because of the narrow definition
imposed on it by the other side. Indeed, one might say that far right
gains it identity from a rejection of all things considered liberal.
Sidney Blumenthal once wrote that "conservatism requires liberalism
for its meaning," and "without the enemy [liberalism] to serve as
nemesis… conservative politics would lack its organizing principle."
Conservatives make no qualms about blaming liberalism for everything,
and feel little reason to explain why.
Modern conservatism was born as a reaction to Franklin
Roosevelt's
New Deal and presidential power during World War II, and was
bolstered
by the Great Society that followed. These were monumental, radical
changes that shocked traditionalists. Liberals would defend them as a
necessary response to the Great Depression and Nazism. In 1940, 60%
of
Americans lived beneath the poverty level. This was reflected in the
fact that 50% of men who enlisted to fight in World War II were
rejected due to lack of fitness. Many had never seen a doctor in
their
lives. Half a century later these facts have been forgotten. Only the
radical nature of the programs remains.
To understand liberalism, one needs to step back from
conservative
stereotypes.
Liberalism actually has a long and honored history in the United
States, reflecting Western instincts rooted in ancient Greece and
Rome. America's War of Independence and Constitution were produced
from it, not as products of tradition but as a sudden and radical
rejection of royalty and inherited class distinctions. The founders
were children of the Enlightenment who placed value on human reason
and ideals that they considered "self-evident," including equality
and
the pursuit of happiness for all. Traditional colonialism was
expelled
from these shores because of them. Religious freedom, capitalism,
human rights, and a republic built on checks and balances, were all
radical ideas at the time, lumped together under the title of
"liberal
democracy."
America's founders were revolutionary in spirit, had great
reverence for reason, and would not allow traditional forms of
government to control them. Their insistence on separation of church
and state was not only a nod to the deist beliefs of many of the
founders, it was a reasonable way to prevent religious wars that had
plagued Europe for centuries, and denied ordinary religious freedom.
At the same time as these revolutionaries were scripting
guarantees of human rights, English parliamentarian Edmund Burke,
considered the father of conservatism, sought to preserve the rule of
British monarchy for the sake of tradition. It would seem that
tradition can be a two-edged sword.
Liberals cling to the Declaration of Independence's statement
that
"all men are created equal," and are known for championed civil
rights
in various forms. The equality ideal itself was expounded by
Enlightenment philosophers such as Locke and Rousseau, who then
inspired the likes of Jefferson and Madison.
Liberalism supports a level playing field for opportunities that
transcends wealth, race, religion, and even name. While this
contributed whole-cloth to the idea of the American Dream, it did not
occur spontaneously, or sprout from tradition, religious or
otherwise.
The founders believed that human reason would lead to an ever
progressing society, in contrast to a never-ending stasis. Equality
fueled the potential of reason.
This belief has led to many breakthroughs that we all benefit
from. It has also led to detrimental consequences, when change was
instituted without proper foresight, and at great cost to those who
might not agree with change.
In the attempt to demonize liberalism in recent decades, it is
sometimes accused of being un-American, despite the founders' intent.
The following is a reminder that this charge is completely invalid:


George Washington (a message to American Catholics)
"As mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more able to allow
that
those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are
equally entitled to the protection of civil government. I hope to see
America among the foremost nations in example of justice and
liberality."


Emerson (writer; father of American Transcendentalism)
"We are reformers in spring and summer. In autumn and winter we stand
by the old. Reformers in the morning; conservatives at night. Reform
is affirmative; conservatism, negative. Conservatism goes for
comfort;
reform for truth."


R.H. Fulton
"The highest function of conservatism is to keep what progressiveness
has accomplished."


As you can see, liberalism supports many great ideas that are also
found in Seed-for-Thought, such as free thinking, a strong focus on
reason, challenging stale beliefs and replacing them with a
challenging balance of idealism, individuality and appreciation for
knowledge. The above words of R.H. Fulton suggest how conservatism
and
liberalism can co-exist in vital relationship.


Extremes in Relationship


Liberalism, at its best, seeks reform and creativity based on human
rights and reasonable assumptions.
Conservatism, properly applied, takes a more cautious approach,
wanting to preserve what is best from the past, restraining
liberalism
to a slower, more careful pace, so as not to lose of damage that
which
is good. Many ideals that liberalism instituted are now considered
traditions that conservatives protect. For example, the Declaration
of
Independence,

[LESLIE DOYLE]

Jose-uno,

http://img174.imageshack.us/i/c6e6271fde20f5f69d79e21ea5.jpg/#q=beautiful%20flowers



Jose, how about trying this forum, NO RULES, averages 30 posts a day

http://groups.google.com/group/number-71?hl=en