Liberalism and conservatism are two different ideologies that act as lenses to social, political, and economic life. Each of the ideologies has a philosophical background, including the fundamental principles in which it represents. Liberalism, on the one hand, is regarded as a moral and political philosophy that promotes autonomy, liberty, and equality before the law. On the contrary, conservatism fosters the incorporation of traditional social institutions. It stands for ideals such as tradition, authority, and organic society. Over the years, many philosophers and thinkers have emerged as either conservative or liberal as expressed in their beliefs, actions, and philosophies. Thus reflecting on the work of these thinkers assists one to decipher the underlying concepts of the ideologies, including the social and political impact.
The cornerstone for liberalism revolves around the enthusiasm for freedom and liberty. The ideology also promotes toleration but disapproves authority, power, and tradition. Other than maintaining the rule of law, it also promotes limited government influence. Among the many liberal thinkers of the past, John Locke stood out as the most appealing and authentic liberalist. The three main qualities that demonstrate his liberal views include the promotion of individual rights, ideas of a limited government, and rule by consent. Locke believed that human beings are rational entities that depended heavily on the state for the protection of their liberties (Alexander, 2015). Secondly, he postulated that governance should only be through the consent of the people where citizens are the holders of power and delegate it to the leaders through processes such as elections.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Thirdly, Locke favored a limited government that would ensure that the rights of the people are protected. As such, he rejected the perspective of the anarchists by asserting that without laws, the rights of the people cannot be protected. Edmund Burke, on the contrary, was known for his conservative ideals. He is primarily regarded as traditionalist conservatism because he based on philosophy on the western tradition and the moral natural law (Alexander, 2015). As a conservative, Burke believed that the rights were prescriptive and emanated from God. As a classical conservative, he paid homage to institutions such as the church and the family. Both liberalism and conservatism have assisted in shaping the political landscape of the world.
America was mainly founded on liberal ideas. The creation of the Bill of Rights is a manifestation of the unwavering determination to protect the rights of the people. The election of national and state leaders shows the country’s ability to give consent to the people. On the country, countries such as the United Kingdom have favored the conservative way of political programs. The institution of the monarch proves their adherence to the traditional ways of doing things. The institutions such as the Anglican Church have remained dominant in political discourses that shape the country (Alexander, 2015). The political landscape of the UK is also built on hierarchies beginning with the monarch going down to the political class to the citizens.
The adherents of the two ideologies view the world from two different perspectives. Conservatives believe in holding on to the traditional views and aspects. They do not stand for radical change since they regard humans as imperfect and also the need to fear the unforeseen circumstances. A liberal thinker, on the other hand, favors a more dynamic way of thinking or doing things. Liberals rely on government responsibility to determine their future as far as freedoms and rights are concerned. Conservatives, on their part, emphasize personal responsibility as the basis for achieving success. Thus, a liberal would often call on the government to solve their problems while the conservative will demand personal empowerment.
Reference
Alexander, J. (2015). The major ideologies of liberalism, socialism, and conservatism. Political Studies, 63(5), 980-994.
