I use the term “liberal” in referring to all struggles for freedom, enlightenment, reason, compassion, and empathy. I do not consider it to be pejorative. In hindsight, the advances in human society have been primarily the result of liberals.
Science over myth. Reason over religion. Freedom over slavery. Education over ignorance. Democracy over despotism.
Where liberals have championed these values, conservatives have opposed them.
Liberals have always sought to expand rights and freedoms, conservatives have always sought to restrict them.
All socialists are liberals, but not all liberals are socialists.
Many socialists see liberals as the enemy, primarily based upon liberal support of capitalism and free markets. Many liberals are capitalists and believe it can be controlled or tweaked. Some think “green capitalism” will work. Even so, most liberals abhor what capitalism does to the poor, workers, and the environment.
Just as liberals evolved to embrace women’s suffrage and gay rights, many liberals are poised to embrace socialism.
Liberalism is a process, an evolution of mankind. In that light, socialism is a natural outgrowth of liberalism.
