Conservative
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy promoting traditional social institutions in the context of culture and civilization. The central tenets of conservatism include tradition, human imperfection, organic society, hierarchy and authority, and property rights. Conservatives seek to preserve a range of institutions such as monarchy, religion, parliamentary government, and property rights, with the aim of emphasizing social stability and continuity. The more extreme elements—reactionaries—oppose modernism and seek a return to “the way things were”.The first established use of the term in a political context originated in 1818 with François-René de Chateaubriand during the period of Bourbon Restoration that sought to roll back the policies of the French Revolution. Historically associated with right-wing politics, the term has since been used to describe a wide range of views. There is no single set of policies regarded as conservative because the meaning of conservatism depends on what is considered traditional in a given place and time. Thus conservatives from different parts of the world—each upholding their respective traditions—may disagree on a wide range of issues. Edmund Burke, an 18th-century politician who opposed the French Revolution but supported the American Revolution, is credited as one of the main theorists of conservatism in Great Britain in the 1790s.According to Quintin Hogg, the chairman of the British Conservative Party in 1959: “Conservatism is not so much a philosophy as an attitude, a constant force, performing a timeless function in the development of a free society, and corresponding to a deep and permanent requirement of human nature itself”. In contrast to the tradition-based definition of conservatism, political theorists such as Corey Robin define conservatism primarily in terms of a general defense of social and economic inequality. From this perspective, conservatism is less an attempt to uphold traditional institutions as a valuing of competition itself, “a meditation on — and theoretical rendition of — the felt experience of having power, seeing it threatened, and trying to win it back”.
Liberal (adjective)
Pertaining to those arts and sciences the study of which is considered to provide general knowledge, as opposed to vocational/occupational, technical or mechanical training.
“He had a full education studying the liberal arts.”
Liberal (adjective)
Generous; willing to give unsparingly.
“He was liberal with his compliments.”
Liberal (adjective)
Ample, abundant; generous in quantity.
“Add a liberal sprinkling of salt.”
Liberal (adjective)
Unrestrained, licentious.
Liberal (adjective)
Widely open to new ideas, willing to depart from established opinions or conventions; permissive.
“Her parents had liberal ideas about child-rearing.”
Liberal (adjective)
Open to political or social changes and reforms associated with either classical or modern liberalism.
Liberal (noun)
One with liberal views, supporting individual liberty (see Wikipedia’s article on Liberalism).
Liberal (noun)
Someone left-wing; one with a left-wing ideology.
Liberal (noun)
A supporter of any of several liberal parties.
Liberal (noun)
One who favors individual voting rights, human and civil rights, and laissez-faire markets also called “classical liberal”; compare libertarian.
Conservative (noun)
A person who favors maintenance of the status quo.
Conservative (noun)
One who opposes changes to the traditional institutions of their country.
Conservative (noun)
A political conservative.
Conservative (noun)
A fiscal conservative.
Conservative (adjective)
Cautious.
Conservative (adjective)
Tending to resist change or innovation.
“The curriculum committee at this university is extremely conservative.”
Conservative (adjective)
Based on pessimistic assumptions.
“At a conservative estimate, growth may even be negative next year.”
Conservative (adjective)
Supporting some fiscal, political or social conservatism.
Conservative (adjective)
Relating to the Conservative Party.
Conservative (adjective)
Neither creating nor destroying a given quantity.
Conservative (adjective)
Having power to preserve in a safe or entire state, or from loss, waste, or injury; preservative.
Conservative (adjective)
Relating to Conservative Judaism.
Conservative (adjective)
Conventional, traditional, and moderate in style and appearance; not extreme, excessive, faddish, or intense.
Conservative (adjective)
Not including any operation or intervention (said of a treatment, see conservative treatment)