What is the difference between a Liberal and a Progressive?

[...of J.Temperance]

I asked this in another thread, but it kind of got lost amongst 300 some posts.

If someone could tell me what the difference between a Liberal and a Progressive is, then I'd appreciate it, thanks.

[Syrinx]

1. one way of looking at it...

Is that progressives are more economically-minded, while liberals are more socially-minded.

Another way to look at is that "progressives" are "liberals" who are afraid of the "liberal" label, which has been demonized in the last 25 years.

:shrug:

[Richard Steele]

2. I agree with your 2nd explanation.

Repub propaganda has made 'liberal' a bad word in the USA;
"progresives" are just using a newer title to avoid that
unwarranted stigma.

[Syrinx]

3. yeah, we need to stand up and take that word back

When I read the definition in the dictionary, I think it's a really cool word.

1 a : of, relating to, or based on the liberal arts <liberal education> b archaic : of or befitting a man of free birth
2 a : marked by generosity : OPENHANDED <a liberal giver> b : given or provided in a generous and openhanded way <a liberal meal> c : AMPLE, FULL
3 obsolete : lacking moral restraint : LICENTIOUS
4 : not literal or strict : LOOSE <a liberal translation>
5 : BROAD-MINDED; especially : not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms
6 a : of, favoring, or based upon the principles of liberalism b capitalized : of or constituting a political party advocating or associated with the principles of political liberalism; especially : of or constituting a political party in the United Kingdom associated with ideals of individual especially economic freedom, greater individual participation in government, and constitutional, political, and administrative reforms designed to secure these objectives
- lib·er·al·ly /-b(&-)r&-lE/ adverb
- lib·er·al·ness noun
synonyms LIBERAL, GENEROUS, BOUNTIFUL, MUNIFICENT mean giving or given freely and unstintingly. LIBERAL suggests openhandedness in the giver and largeness in the thing or amount given <a teacher liberal with her praise>. GENEROUS stresses warmhearted readiness to give more than size or importance of the gift <a generous offer of help>. BOUNTIFUL suggests lavish, unremitting giving or providing <children spoiled by bountiful presents>. MUNIFICENT suggests a scale of giving appropriate to lords or princes <a munificent foundation grant>.

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=liberal&btnG=Words

[izzie]

5. I sort of go with that but do I recall that they come from a

different background? I think I recall they came from two different movements. It is like calling Democrats Socialist, as many in the GOP do, and then swinging them right into Communist. All different ways of thinking and from different movements.

[...of J.Temperance]

17. We need to demonize

The words "Right-Winger" in a similar fashion, the fact that the majority of the country reject both parties extreme's, should tell us that with a good formula we could make the words "Right-Winger" into dirty words.

[rinsd]

22. Close.....

I think progressives are democrat socialists who fear the label for the same reasons you listed.

[longship]

4. Liberals are not afraid of being one.

That's all there is to it.

[sknabt]

24. Yeah, what he said!

"Liberal" is a term that has been completely demonized by conservative talk radio, the conservative blogosphere, and media propaganda outlets like Fox News Channel. It's so bad a conservative just has to say the term "liberal" in a sentence and all this implied negative baggage makes his case for him without further comments. You often will see people run from the "liberal" label.

"Progressive" has become an acceptable synonym because it hasn't been trashed yet. Further, "progressive" sounds positive. Who's against progress?

But, as a practical matter, it's just semantics.

[benny05]

6. For me

I like Progressive because of the word "progress". I do not believe government has all of the solutions, but it can help us (if it truly works best for all of us) make progress in our lives.

[...of J.Temperance]

18. I like your comment here about

Progressive and "progress"....that's a good way to look at it.

[Sherman A1]

7. I am more intune with Progressive

I think it speaks more about being "Pro" something as opposed to conservatives who are at least in theory "Con" (which you can take several ways - I like to think of them as CONfused).

[Syrinx]

8. by the way, I think I asked the exact same question here once

It was when I first signed up. Strangely perhaps, I don't remember what the consensus answer was. But it is an interesting thing to think about.

[Maddy McCall]

9. Freeper!

:rofl:

Hi, syrinx. How ya doing? Are you watching that soon-to-be-Ernesto tropical wave about to hit the Carribean?

:hi:

[Syrinx]

16. Hey Maddy!

We've been pretty fortunate so far this year haven't we? I don't dig those badass storms.

Do you remember that time I asked the question about progressives/liberals? I had something like 64 posts I think.

Nice to see you. And I really mean it. I hope good things are going on in your life! :hi:

[EST]

10. Liberal is a beautiful, bountiful word.

Progressive is more business-like, a little more straight jacketed.

Republiclowns and self-styled conservatives, who are less conservative than any liberal or progressive, have done their damnedest to make the term "liberal" a pejorative, a pornographic word. They want it to sound ugly.

Between the tight-fisted, Ebeneezer Scrooge type character, without enough soul or "liberalness" to appreciate and empathize with a crippled kid who isn't likely to survive the winter, and the big, open armed man, full of gusto, willing to share his last dollar or his last dram, with the guiding principle of people mean more than things, I know durn well who I wanna be like when I grow up!

Ever notice that all the old cautionary tales that were meant to teach us how to be authentic and how to pattern our lives to gain happiness and satisfaction in place of meanness, smallness and desperation have the crook in the perfect image of a republiclown or a "conservative?"

The villain or crook is NEVER a liberal. Why?
Because liberals aren't like that.

Liberals, for the most part, don't lie. We don't rape, murder, rob, steal or take unfair, criminal advantage of little kids--or the intellectually challenged.

We feel pain when someone else does, cry when they cry and are consumed with joy at someone else's good fortune.

I think we should reclaim the word-take it back and wear it proudly. Not to abandon the "progressives" because embracing the future and pressing for change to accommodate that future are not bad things, either.
I hope this helps, as a definition of progressive and liberal in relationship to the bastardized form of 'conservative.'

Incidentally, liberal and conservative are not opposites. I am a liberal who is quite conservative. Although I may drive older cars and am sometimes generous to a fault, my house and twenty acres are paid off, free and clear, and I owe no one anything.

I am very married, don't slip slide around and tell the truth, sometimes to an embarrassing degree.
So I'm a progressive, conservative liberal. Wanna join the club?

[AtomicKitten]

11. I think "progressive" was coined because "liberal" has been

sullied by the GOP so effectively.

However, I still am proud to call myself a liberal. Always have and always will.

[MysteryToMyself]

12. Definitions

Encarta dictionary on MSN shows these definitions

progressive:

1. favoring reform: advocating social, economic, or political reform

2. progressing gradually: developing gradually over a period of time
a progressive decline in popularity

4. informal and less structured educationally: relating to or using a more informal, less structured approach to the education of children

5. with higher rates for higher incomes: describes a form of taxation in which the tax rate increases in proportion to the taxable income

************
Liberal:

1. broad-minded: tolerant of different views and standards of behavior in others

2. progressive politically or socially: favoring gradual reform, especially political reforms that extend democracy, distribute wealth more evenly, and protect the personal freedom of the individual

3. generous: freely giving money, time, or some other asset
My great-aunt was liberal in her bequests.

4. generous in quantity: large in size or amount
a liberal helping

5. not literal: not limited to the literal meaning in translation or interpretation. a liberal interpretation of the rules

6. culturally oriented: concerned with general cultural matters and broadening of the mind rather than professional or technical study
a liberal education

7. of political liberalism: relating to a political ideology of liberalism

Definition: liberal person: somebody who favors tolerance or open-mindedness

Most of us believe in a progressive income tax. We are tolerant and open minded. We believe in freedom, but probably not the same freedom Bushites talk about. They want freedom of regulations of businesses, but seem to want to limit the freedoms of the rest of us and spy on our bank accounts, our phone calls and e-mails and control our life in our bedrooms.

We want freedom to be ourselves and opportunities to move ahead in life.

Progressives/liberals are warm hearted and care about other people. They like to help the underdog. They want every baby that is born to have a healthy start. They gave "created equally" a new meaning with WIC. They want fairness for the middle class and poor.

Most of us are fiscally disciplined. We balance our home budgets and see the wisdom of having a balanced budget in government, but not at the expense of the health or welfare of the middle class or poor, while the rich get tax cuts.

Most of us would fight to the death for our country, but we are anti-unjust wars.

[BootinUp]

13. My take is a little different than some of the others

The term progressive has been championed by those that attack the Democratic party from the left, thats my observation. I can't tell you how many times Democratic party representatives are berated here and in other blogs/forums for not being "true" progressives.

Often it is directed at the candidate or representative that supports a strong defense i.e. military spending, or has some other previous connection to the military. There has also been a history around here anyways of this type of attack being initiated or carried on by freepers in disguise who subsequently expose their true identity (after the 2004 elections for instance).

[filer]

14. In describing myself I tend to use the terms

interchangeably depending on the audience. I tend to favor Liberal, however, in that to me it denotes an aspect of tolerance and kindness, qualities sadly, too short in supply these days.

[Armstead]

15. Unfortunately "Progressive" has two contradictory meanings now

Progressive is a term claimed by two very diffwerent groups.

1)Centrists who are afraid of the word "liberal" and are trying to replace it with "progressive." In this use, a "progressive" tends to be more conservative on issues of money and power, and more corporate oriented. A number of ex-officials of the Clinton administration would fall into this category.

or

2)People on the left who are more liberal than liberals. In this context, progressives advocate more fundamental reforms and changes regarding issues of wealth and power. Bernie Sanders and the more left-wing Democratic populists in Congress would fall into this category.

This does cause confusion in political discussion and debate these days. Because of this, one always has to be aware of who is using it, and in which context.

Personally, I'd like to see a return of Liberalism in the sense that it used to mean, which was a mix of left-wing reformism and moderation.

[mmonk]

19. Conservative democrats use the progressive moniker

but never the liberal one.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

20. Progressive places the stress on economics, liberal on personal liberties.

Fidel Castro is a progressive, but not a liberal.

Someone who supports minimum state intervention - gay rights, pro choice, low taxes, no public services, legalised drugs, etc - would be a liberal but not a progressive, I think (although that one is more debateable).

[CrushTheDLC]

25. You seem to be confusing "liberal" with "libertarian"

Libertarians are the ones who want to severely cut public services and lower taxes. Many of them are also against any sort of regulation on guns whatsoever. That combination would be far more compatible with a right wing mindset than a Liberal one, though they might also agree with Liberals on such things as legalized drugs, gay rights, and opposition to illegal unneccessary wars like the one Chimpy started..

All the same though, I'd rather deal with a right leaning Libertarian (Ron Paul of Texas, for example) than a neocon Republican any day, because at least they are clear about what they DO stand for and I know how to oppose that when neccessary.

[sampsonblk]

21. Liberal is a belief set, progressive is a strategy

I would much rather admit I am a liberal, a person who knows where he wants things to end up and isn't afraid to admit it loudly. A progressive, IMHO, is a liberal who insists on incrementalism and will not readily admit where he wants things to end up, only which direction he wants to tip-toe in during this election cycle.

[Odin2005]

23. Progressive is a more inclusive term then Liberal.

"Liberal" in the American & Canadian sense of the word means what other countries would call "Social Democrat". Progressives inclide both Social-Democrats/US Liberals types as well as Socialists.