Difference between Conservatives, Liberals and Independents
When certain political and social issues come to play, we are often inclined to take sides simply because other issues influence our beliefs and we find ourselves supporting certain ideologies based on our backgrounds, moral influence and the influence of our peers and family. Contrary to popular belief, conservatives, liberals and independents are not limited to political supporters alone. These are people who have made a stand in the many faces of social and even moral issues.
Definition
Conservatives are people who believe that the government should be able to give its people the freedom that is needed to pursue their own goals. On the other hand, liberals support the government’s role in establishing equal opportunities and equality for everyone.
Liberals support the government’s role in solving people’s issues and helping them out with goals. The term “independents” are heard more often when political parties arise.
In politics, independents are politicians who are not associated with any other political parties and whose viewpoints are not addressed majorly by the other prevailing parties.
Main Principles
Conservatives are focused on individual capacities. They believe in personal movement and responsibility. Thus, they also are in favor or a limited government and free markets. Conservatives favor traditional values and the need for a stable national defense.
According to liberals, it is the responsibility of the State to eradicate social malfunctions and illnesses, and it is also the duty of the government to protect human rights and uphold civil liberties. Liberals believe that people should all be good and be treated equally so no one is left behind.
But independents in this context also means “people whose beliefs are somewhere in between” what conservatives and liberals believe in. Independents may have ideas of their own or may support both sides.
Issues
The main principles of conservatives are respect for human life from conception, racial equality, “an eye for an eye” punishment, free market and competitive capitalism and lax environmental policies. Conservatives support limited legal immigration but abhor illegal immigration. Conservatives are against the separation of the church and state.
The main principles of liberals are respect for human abilities to make decisions, racial equality, a government-controlled market and anti-death penalty policies. They are strict about environmental policies and support amnesty for illegal immigration. The liberals support the separation of church and state.
Independents, as mentioned earlier have their own thoughts and may even have both conservative and liberal ideologies. For instance, independents are for abortion, but only until the first trimester. They are for the legalization of marijuana and are even for the lowering of drinking age to 18.
Summary
- Conservatives are individualistic, while liberals are government-oriented. Independents are in between.
- Conservatives believe in free market. Liberals want a government-controlled economy. Independents support both.
- Conservatives are against abortion and are have lax environmental policies. Liberals are pro-abortion and are environmentally-conscious. Independents are pro-abortion only in the first trimester.
