Why do Conservatives call Liberals "leftists" but Liberals don't call Conservatives "rightists"?
It's just something I have been wondering.
It's just something I have been wondering.
Thomas
Favorite Answer
Us Liberals/Progressives/Democrats whatever the right wing wants to call us is based on being LEFT. The right wing and their right wing groups are completely entangled with the RIGHT. It's the way this country's citizens have always seen these two groups.
Webster's Dictionary states:
LIBERAL; 1. generous 2. loves reform. 3. tolerant 4. progressive (Left)
CONSERVATIVE; 1. intolerant, 2. hates reform or any change (Right)
Mujer Alta
Actually, there is a word that's used to describe those who stand on the far right side of the political spectrum: reactionary. It was used from the 1950s but kind of disappeared in the 1990s after the Republican Party latched onto the "Moral Majority" and the religious right.
"Reactionary" is a good, descriptive word for members of the GOP and the TPers. It describes a person who reacts to what others around them are doing rather that someone who is pro-active, future oriented and optimistic. It implies someone who doesn't do much but sit and wait for something to change so he can react against whatever it is. Reactionaries are people content with the status quo (the way things are) and who don't want things to change.
El Tecolote
The only people who won't admit liberal falls to the left of center are liberals.
titobeau
Near as I can tell, the top answer just made up those definitions.
Actual definitions from Websters:
Conservative: believing in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society : relating to or supporting political conservatism
Liberal : believing that government should be active in supporting social and political change : relating to or supporting political liberalism
The left/right nomenclature comes from the seating arrangement in the French Parliament but has come to represent two sides of the political spectrum. Leftists like to be called liberal because it's flattering, but they aren't liberal in any sense of the word (at least according to Classical Liberalism). Conservatives can be called rightists, we at least honest as to where we stand politically.
Finally, it might be helpful to see the 1828 Webster's definition of the word, to get an idea of how the word has changed over the years
Anonymous
Leftists is easier to pronounce. Calling a leftist a liberal can sometimes be wrong because a liberal believes in liberty and many leftists want to take rights and liberties away.
Ex. Obamacare, welfare, regulations, environmentalist religion involved in public policy...