As a non-member of the Left, Ive been confused about the difference between Liberals and Progressives. Members of the Left that Ive asked havent really helped me out differentiating between the two, either. However, some readings and discussions in my Intro to Public Affairs class may have given me a useful differentiation. Both groups are trying to improve the lot of the poor. The difference is in the means they choose. Liberals are into wealth distribution. Take money (and other resources) from the rich and give them to the poor, with government being the conduit. Progressives are more interested in rewriting the rules so that the outcomes more favor the poor than the current set of rules. Admittedly, this is a simplistic differentiation, focusing primarily on the poor. This makes sense, when you realize that thats the focus of the class. The class also discusses how unsuccessful and unsustainable Liberal programs have been, while being far more charitable for Progressive and Conservative programs. If it can be demonstrated that the rules have been set up to reward the rich (such as corporate welfare, the regulatory scheme, etc.), I have sympathy towards the Progressives. I have little for Liberals.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 16:39:31 +0000
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