The terms’ liberal’ and ‘conservative’ refer to two political philosophies. Some of the ideas associated with liberals include the belief in the power of education to improve society, support for a strong central government, civil rights and equality, and belief in the importance of helping the poor and disadvantaged (Hasson et al. 1450). On the other hand, concepts supported by conservative people include the belief in limited government, support for traditional values, belief in personal responsibility and support for a free market economy.
Support for a Strong Central Government
Liberals would argue that a strong central government is necessary to effectively address important issues such as poverty, inequality, and civil rights. They would point to examples like the New Deal, a series of government programs that helped lift the US out of the Great Depression, as evidence that the government could make positive changes (Hasson et al. 1455). Conservatives suggest that a strong central government is an infringement on personal liberty and that it is unnecessary and ineffective. An example of this is the Patriot Act, which gives the government increased powers to spy on American citizens and to detain and deport immigrants, an action seen as a deprivation of people’s freedom.
Belief in the Power of Education to Improve Society
Liberals assert that education is necessary to create an informed and engaged citizenry. For instance, educated activists in the Civil Rights movement led a successful campaign for equality, as evidence that education can empower people positively. On the other hand, conservatives would argue that education should be private and that the government should not be involved in dictating what people should learn (Lammers and Baldwin 600). They would illustrate this with examples like the rise of communism in China, where the government forced people to learn about Marxist ideology. Many people remained ignorant of the ideology despite the government’s efforts. I find the liberal arguments on these issues to be more persuasive. I believe that a strong central government is necessary to address important social issues and that education is a powerful tool that can be used to improve society.
Works Cited
Hasson, Yossi, et al. “Are Liberals and Conservatives Equally Motivated to Feel Empathy toward Others?” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, vol. 44, no. 10, 2018, pp. 1449–1459. Web.
Lammers, Joris, and Matt Baldwin. “Past-Focused Temporal Communication Overcomes Conservatives’ Resistance to Liberal Political Ideas.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 114, no. 4, 2018, pp. 599–619. Web.