Classical Liberalism Vs Conservatism Essay

Around the world, there are governments and having a government means there must be political parties. Political parties derive from political ideologies, which are, as defined by Michael Roskin in Political Science: An Introduction, “commitments to change political systems” (35). There are numerous ideologies, and each of try to find solution to different political problems. Some of these ideologies have influenced others. An example of this is modern liberalism and modern conservatism in the United States. Both modern liberalism and modern conservatism were influenced by classical liberalism and classic conservatism. Roskin describes classical liberalism as being deeply rooted in the philosophy of John Locke and Adam Smith. John Locke believed all people are born free and equal, and that people have rights that a government can’t take away. Smith believed in an unregulated form of trade, which he referred to as “laissez-faire”. Roskin explains …show more content…
The way it differed was that the government John Locke proposed did not take negative freedoms into account. In modern liberalism, negative freedoms are to be minimized as positive freedoms are to be maximized. Modern liberalism wants to protect people from unfair economic practices. Modern liberalists strive for better laws for workers in the workplace such as better wages, fair hours, and the right to be a part of a union. They also want more educational opportunities for everyone. To help pay for this, they believe in taxing the rich at a higher percentage. Modern liberals also believe in social freedoms that question tradition. These freedoms include gay marriage, abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and immigration rights. Roskin describes modern conservatives as a mix of both classical liberalism and classical conservatism. Modern conservatism emphasizes minimal government. It also combines the economic ideas of Adam Smith and the