Are We Liberals Or Progressives?
February 6th, 2008, 6:45 PM EST
Saw this on Atrios. It’s an item by Matthew Yglesias in The Atlantic about why “liberal” is better than “progressive.” “Progressive” doesn’t really bother me, in spite of its colorful etymology. I reclaim the word “liberal” simply because I don’t like what the right-wing bastards have done to it. It’s not theirs to own in the first place.
“Liberal”…is an important term with a noble history and a contested legacy. I think the notion that something like contemporary American liberalism is, in fact, the correct instantiation of the historic liberal project for our times is a proposition that’s worth fighting for.
Post I did on liberalism. Sorry to spam it, but not with it right now to say anything better, let alone of any quality.
On Isms and Liberalism
The suffix “ism” refers to one or more descriptive words for any given ideological, philosophical and religious beliefs, whether they are conservatism, liberalism, Mormonism, etc; other suffixes apply as well. When trying to define these terms, we have the following, and likely more, to consider: What is the root definition of the descriptive word intended to encompass the broadest possible definition of the belief system in question; what was the intention of its founder(s); what are its most accepted tenets; what are its most consistently espoused tenets? Answering those questions is crucial for determining not only if we want to be associated with a particular belief system, but for knowing if we both understand and deserve to claim an association with it.
It is not that an erroneous claim of being part of a belief system is bad, it is that claiming an association with a belief system as a cover for failure is cowardly, even when compared to the offensiveness of a mischaracterization of that belief system.
In my experience, the above behavior most often applies to self- described liberals. I will agree that the characterization of liberalism and liberals is sometimes, perhaps often, unfair, and I am not attacking liberalism, but I am criticizing some liberals. What I mean to ask of liberals is that they defend themselves by what they are as they are individually, and not refer back to what others say they have to be by the simple claim of membership in liberalism.
While there might never be widely accepted litmuses to prove or disprove the merits of a claim of membership in any given belief system, my own opinion of liberalism is that it is the greastest of belief systems for its inherent adaptability and apparent primary motivatation of global well-being. To acheive this is to reach saintly worth.
One is not a liberal because he claims to be, but because he is by how he acts.
As a liberal, you are not only free of the constraints of harmful selfishness, but also of equally destructive pride. Intellectual honesty is not a weakness, it is a justification for the pride others should have in you. That is what a liberal is to me, not arrogant but humble, and not certain but inquisitive, and has the final goal of making the world better.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Alan… I don’t think it matters what you people call yourselves. As long as people know the distinction between democrats and republicans its okay.
BTW… I wanted to tell you that you should post open threads on your blog. Its a great way to take the pulse of your bloggers and find out the issues they care about!
Can’t wait for the show tonight!
February 6th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
To be a liberal or a progressive is to accept change that is beneficial and not have change altered or clouded based on a belief system that has been established previously (such as religious conviction or social traditions). As a proud liberal this is my creed.
JadedSage
http://www.jadedsage.com
February 6th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
For the benefit of those of us who may be “light readers” on the subject of political theory, what exactly is “the historic liberal project for our times?”
And if Mr. Yglesias intends to make an impression on the broad segment of the population who perhaps take the term “progressive” as merely implying a fondness for progress, he may need a new editor–one familiar with the benefits of “brevity” in sentence structure.
And I don’t really see how the “right-wing bastards” have done anything to the term “liberal,” except take a fairly pathetic shot at reinventing the age-old jocks-versus-geeks form of adolescent tribalism.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Alan my friend, we are liberal *AND* progressive. IMHO the definition of “conservatism” is “regressive”.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:17 am
Liberalism historically has been associated with a healthy distrust of government and the empowerment of the individual. While the current crop of big government conservatives certainly don’t fit that mold, neither do nanny state progressives – they’re both illiberal. The fact that you’d rather call yourself a liberal, with its implications of opposing expanded government power, is a good thing, whatever the reason.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:28 am
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
To me that’s liberalism. That’s it. That’s all I need.
To be progressive is to make changes in the way we conduct our lives or changes in our government that benefits others and makes improvements in people’s lives. To go foward as opposed to remaining where we are or worse yet to go backwards. Conservatives always want to keep the status quo or go back in time.
I consider myself to be a progressive liberal. But LIBERAL comes first with me. I am a liberal. And damn proud of it.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:40 am
I agree, I prefer liberal, and assume most people who spit the term at us like an obscenity wouldn’t know a liberal if one came up and gave him free psychiatric care.
To wit: now they’re calling John McCain a liberal in order to defame. The word is losing it’s original meaning through misuse.
Perhaps we should start calling pedofiles “sexual conservatives” to morph the term by association.
“Progressive” sounds like I should play in a jazz band or something.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:12 am
Doesn’t hold a candle to Liberacism. Sequinned justice for all!
February 7th, 2008 at 6:03 am
I’m an American. I think most people are Americans first,and political ideology second. And I feel that we all hold various opinions that span both liberal and conservative ideas.
February 9th, 2008 at 5:39 am