Liberals are not Leftists; there are major differences between the two.
Let us consider some definitions:
Liberalism (n) a political or social philosophy advocating the freedom of the individual, parliamentary legislatures, governmental assurances of civil liberties and individual rights, and nonviolent modification of institutions to permit continued individual and social progress.
Leftism refers to the beliefs and behavior of people who support socialism.
Socialism (n) An economic theory or system in which the means of production, distribution, and exchange are owned by the community collectively, usually through the state. It is characterized by production for use rather than profit, by equality of individual wealth, by the absence of competitive economic activity, and, usually, by government determination of investment, prices, and production levels.
In a nutshell, liberalism is a belief in individual freedom guaranteed by law, and favors capitalism and free enterprise as the most effective way of creating a high standard of living.
Leftism, or socialism, denies individual rights, demands wealth redistribution, and opposes capitalism.
Some comparisons:
| Liberals |
Leftists |
| Believe in a person’s character, not his or her skin color, sex, or nationality. |
Believe in racial identity and deem liberals to be racists for believing in character over skin color. |
| Believe in capitalism. |
Oppose capitalism. |
| Believe in sovereign nation states and national state borders. |
Oppose state sovereignty, in favor of globalism and open borders. |
| Are patriots. |
Oppose patriotism. |
| Believe in free speech. |
Oppose free speech in favor of political correctness and speech suppression. |
Most of our Founding Fathers were liberals in favor of liberty for all. These liberal minded men, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman, wrote these words in the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
For more information, see the video, “Left or Liberal?” follow this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlIjMJBSnRE
It can also be viewed at PragerU
(Note hyperlinks may change over time.)
Mark S, Oaks 9/04/2020
Footnotes:
Liberals Are Not Leftists.
Liberals are not Leftists; there are major differences between the two.
Let us consider some definitions:
Liberalism (n) a political or social philosophy advocating the freedom of the individual, parliamentary legislatures, governmental assurances of civil liberties and individual rights, and nonviolent modification of institutions to permit continued individual and social progress1.
Leftism refers to the beliefs and behavior of people who support socialism.
Socialism (n) An economic theory or system in which the means of production, distribution, and exchange are owned by the community collectively, usually through the state. It is characterized by production for use rather than profit, by equality of individual wealth, by the absence of competitive economic activity, and, usually, by government determination of investment, prices, and production levels2.
In a nutshell, liberalism is a belief in individual freedom guaranteed by law, and favors capitalism and free enterprise as the most effective way of creating a high standard of living.
Leftism, or socialism, denies individual rights, demands wealth redistribution, and opposes capitalism.
Some comparisons:
Most of our Founding Fathers were liberals in favor of liberty for all. These liberal minded men, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman, wrote these words in the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
For more information, see the video, “Left or Liberal?” follow this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlIjMJBSnRE
It can also be viewed at PragerU
(Note hyperlinks may change over time.)
Mark S, Oaks 9/04/2020
Footnotes: