Do any of them know what the word “liberal” actually means?
Do you know what the word ‘liberal’ actually means
It has 2 common definitions:
- Neo-liberal: a political approach that favors free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduction in government spending
- Leftism in general.
You’re almost never going to hear the right-wing use #1. Authoritarian communists will use #1 as a catch-all for modern capitalism.
The US is such a right wing country that liberals are the mainstream left. In Europe, liberals are centrists and they aren’t further to the right than American libs.
The meme says “American Republicans” so I thought we were considering this from an American pov. Definitions are going to change going to other countries and doubly so when talking about politics.
But the definition doesn’t really change. Take universal healthcare. A liberal idea that’s considered common sense in Europe and left wing in the US. Obamacare would be something you expect from a center right European and a left American. Both are called liberal.
And if the meme was from an exclusively American pov, it wouldn’t specify “American Republicans”
Open-minded, permissive, tolerant
Look rather than dunk on you, I’m going to recommend Mike Duncan’s Revolutions podcast, because it gives a fair overview of what the liberal revolutions were about, why socialism grew out of that moment, and how there came to be this irreconciliable beef between liberalism and socialism. The whole thing is great, but 1848 is the real crisis point if all you care about is the schism.
For a more succinct answer:
It’s obviously tongue-in-cheek, but it gets the point across lol
A liberal believes capitalism is broken and needs to be fixed.
A socialist believes capitalism is working as intended and needs to be destroyed.
Don’t know why you’re being downvoted.
Liberal literally means free. As in “If it doesn’t harm me, you’re allowed to do it”. So yes, openminded, permissive, tolerant.
Don’t know why a lot of the US-Americans had to twist the meaning of it.
Because in politics, liberal means something else entirely. It’s an ideology defined by support for capitalism.
In Americans politics, and you guys are completely bonkers.
It’s actually specifically not true in American politics.
Liberal in America = left wing, favors greater regulation of markets
It means you support capitalism, hence why “liberalization of the economy” means selling off public utilities, land, housing, and resources.
I ‘am’ an anarcho-communist and I don’t like libtards. Libtards to me are ‘progressive capitalists’ that have no systemic insight what so ever and think all it takes to bring upon heaven on earth is to try and be nice.
I mean, you should try and be nice obviously but you are not going to soy latte your way outta this my dudes.
Friend I’m not a friend of liberals myself but can we please not use ableistic terms that end with “-tard”?
Reserve that shit for the right wing
Ok, even though I know this will make no difference to ‘you people’ (sorry just cannot help myself xD).
In this case I choose to use this specific word because it’s so obviously a dogwhistle for right wing extremists that in the context of this meme I think it’s funny, since my actual stance is neither authoritarian or rightwing.
I don’t seriously mean to perpetuate negative stereotypes with regards to people with mental handicaps.
Just as a curiosity, are you by any chance from the US? I just cannot imagine anyone from Europe making such a big deal about a joke like this, let alone use the term ableist.
I guess my brain has just rotted as a result of a few decades of being on the internet. Inside i’m still an edgy teen apparently. No actual offense meant :)
“Authoritarian” would require that we, you know, have some authority. Which we don’t.
Neolibs do. And they just used it to arrest a bunch of students and people protesting against a genocide.
You all project so fucking hard it’s ridiculous.
“Authoritarian” would require that we, you know, have some authority.
No, it would require you to support the idea that there should be some central authority telling people what they should be doing. Which you do.
Lol okay bud. Then tell me how you justify 44 Democrat senators, 36 Republican senators and Joe Biden working together to block the rail strike? I can’t wait to observe your abilities as a mental contortionist.
I don’t. That’s precisely why I’m against authoritarianism.
Ok. Well I was against that too so maybe we agree on more than I assumed.
Scratch a liberal and a fascist bleed…
Usually because it’s a fascist doing the scratching, so the liberal punches him
What an absolutely childish and moronic way or rewriting history. Typical lib.
That’s all Cryophillia does, lol. Attempt to rewrite definitions and history.
Also call out tankies and fash pretending to be tankies.
Hello!
Nah, you just call anyone left of Social Democrats “tankie,” lol.
Most of em are
It’s an infestation
Everything is scary when you’re scared of everything.
Lmao check out all the salty libs seeing themselves get called out in these comments.
- sincerely, an anarcho-syndicalist
Pretty much. “Lol why don’t you like libs?”
…cause we don’t like things the way they are, and the only goal of the libs appears to be prevent any sort of progress. Maybe we are allowed relief from existing problems, but fuck you if you wanna fix em!
the only goal of the libs appears to be prevent any sort of progress.
“Liberal” in America is literally synonymous with “progressive”. The entire point of the party is progress.
@[email protected] here’s another one
“Liberal” in America is literally synonymous with “progressive”. The entire point of the party is progress.
What are you even talking about? There are numerous Democrat politicians who don’t label themselves as progressive.
I didn’t say “Democrat” at all in my comment.
All progressives are Democrats, not all Democrats are progressives. The Democratic party is a coalition.
Does that mean there are Democrats who aren’t liberal?
Yeah. Bernie Sanders himself is not a Democrat, but most of his supporters are Democrats who are socialist, not liberal.
Then you’ve got your Joe Manchin types, who basically agree with Republicans but don’t like the racism etc. Blue Dogs.
Then you’ve got the split between “progressives” and “centrists”. Biden being more of a centrist, AOC being more of a progressive. “Liberal” means different things to different people, but most Democrats would say progressives are liberals while centrists aren’t.