The main difference between liberals and conservatives is belief. Liberals, in general, believe in governmental actions to achieve equal opportunity for every person moreover, they also believe that it is the duty of the government to protect community rights and to resolve their issues and also to protect civil liberties and human rights while conservatives believe in personal responsibility, individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and a strong national defense moreover they believe, it is the duty of government to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their goals.
Conservatives believe people should be free to succeed and fail according to their own actions and choices and the greatest thing we can do for future generations is to ensure that they have a stable and solvent government, whereas, liberals believe that there are societal at work which makes opportunities unequal for certain classes of people and they strive for equal opportunity for all people.
Comparison Chart
| Basic | Conservative | Liberal |
| Introduction | Conservatives believe in less government interference while letting individuals and state to solve their problem | Liberal believes in more government control and regulations to solve people’s problem |
| Empowerment | Conservative policies emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems | On the other hand, liberal policies emphasize the need for the government to solve people’s problems |
| Political spectrum | Conservatives are on the right when putting into a political spectrum | Liberals are on the left when put into a political spectrum |
| Example | Republicans are frequently viewed as conservative | Democrats are frequently viewed as liberal |
What is Conservative?
Conservatives believe in equality and most of them think that why should someone get more than others. Conservatives mostly come from the dominant groups; they promote and encourage personal responsibility with a minimum of government.
Conservatives are the capitalists and they advocate for a Social Darwinian theory, which is “success belongs to the fittest” in this world, moreover institutions must be maintained which advance beneficial behavior.
The Issues
Death Penalty
Conservatives believe that the death penalty is a punishment that fits the crime, which is neither brutal nor common and is the best choice to execute a murderer is the appropriate punishment for taking of the life of an innocent people.
Economy
Conservatives believe in the free market system and competitive capitalism as free markets give more opportunities or jobs and it gives a higher standard of living as compared to those systems which are burdened by excessive government regulations.
Religion
After the first amendment to the constitution states “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”, they do not support the separation of church and state and oppose the removal of symbols of Christian heritage from public and government spaces.
Same-sex Marriage
Conservatives believe in marriage between man and woman and they do not support same-sex marriage as such relationships violate moral and religious beliefs of Muslims, Christians, and others who believe in the union of a man and a woman.
Abortion
Conservatives strictly oppose tax-payer-funded abortion and they think that the government should not support abortion by providing tax-payer fund dollars as they believe that abortion is the murder of a human being.
What is Liberal?
We can define a person who is liberal as, one who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of traditional or established forms.
A liberal mostly emphasizes equity; they believe in a powerful government that takes the people’s money and takes care of the people, however, they obey the all-powerful government for the best of the people.
Liberals think that people should be free to do what they like as they are not hurting anyone and sometimes they are more socially conscious as they claim that “the world is unfair”.
The Issues
Death penalty
Liberals believe that the death penalty should be ended, as they consider the death penalty a very inhumane, brutal and unusual act. They think that imprisonment should be the appropriate punishment for murder.
Economy
The government will provide support for individuals who are underprivileged, such as low-income individuals and sick.
Religion
Liberals believe in the separation of church and state, they think that there should be no place for religious expressions in the government and these two concepts are completely separate. Liberals also support the removal of all religious references in public and government spaces.
Same-Sex Marriage
Liberals support gay, lesbian, transgender marriage to ensure their equal rights, moreover, they believe that every individual must have the right to marry with a choice.
Abortion
Liberals think that it is completely a women’s choice or right to decide what happens with her body and the government should provide tax-payer funds for abortion for those women who cannot afford them. The Government must protect this right of women.
Key Difference
- Liberal believes should take an important role in people’s lives, on the other hand, conservatives generally believe people should be more responsible for their personal decisions.
- Most liberals think about people and on the other hand, conservatives think about money.
- Liberals say that women should be free to make decisions for themselves; on the other hand, conservatives believe that they should tell women what to do with her body.
- Liberals mostly believe that society itself is more important than individuals, whereas, conservatives believe that the individual and their families are more important components of society.
- Liberals believe that a more socialist approach creates a fairer world; on the other hand, conservatives generally support capitalism given its proven track record of creating wealth.
Comparison Video
Conclusion
Liberals and conservatives look at equality and equity differently, conservatives believe in equality, freedom, and prosperity, they believe in personal responsibility and low government taxes, moreover, the conservative view more emphasizes the individual to manage their own affairs. On the other hand, liberals mostly emphasize equity, and they believe in government action to achieve equality for all, the liberal view is seen to be more active and social view, they think that we should help people at any cost, however, they also support abortion, same-sex marriage in order to protect the rights of the individual.