Has The Face Of Liberalism Changed (greatly) Over The Years?

[MMMMMM]

When I was growing up in the 60's and 70's, liberalism seemed very different than it seems today. There were no "PC" requirements, and it seemed to me that liberals championed individual rights, while conservatives tended to favor more strict and authoritarian policies.

It hasn't yet come full circle, but my impression is that the reverse of the above has come true in large degree. Liberals are especially the ones insisting on conformity in the name of political correctness. Liberals are the ones favoring authoritarian policies in the names of PC-ness, sensitivity and diversity. I'll have to think more on this, but it really seems that the roles are almost reversed now, and it makes me sad, because I used to be a liberal.

Am I wrong in thinking that liberalism used to stand for individual rights more than did conservatism? Am I wrong in thinking that today, the opposite seems true? Or has my perspective simply shifted? It's probably both, but when I hear liberals supporting authoritarian policies in the names of their liberal ideas, it makes me sad, angry and worried. Isn't it all supposed to be about individual liberties? Or does liberal philosophy now put "social equality" or "social justice" or even "protecting the feelings of others" above the rights of the individual?

Didn't the ACLU used to be less political, and represent more meaningful cases on average?

IMO the essence of moral social order is that one should be allowed to do just about anything one wants as long as one is not seriously harming or endangering others. And that's about it.

[adios]

Let's turn the clock back to the 1950's as I will attempt to be concise. Many parts of the USA had segragation (separate but equal) instutionalized as a government policy of individual states and municipalities. Also there were other laws on the books that institutionalized discrimination of Afro-Americans. This status quo if you will was appalling and repugnant to many. Not only did some find it repugnant and appalling, some found it illegal and challenged the status quo in the courts and on the streets. IMO 1957 was a watershed year when President Eisenhower sent troops into Little Rock, Arkansas to forcefully carry out an order to desegregate public schools.

1957 Desegregation at Little Rock, Arkansas (http://www.eisenhowerbirthplace.org/legacy/ike0003.htm)

I was taught that a "conservative" supported the status quo more or less while a "liberal" wanted and saw a need for great change. Clearly there were many aspects of the life in the USA that required great change in this time period. The USA underwent a great social and political upheaval in the 60's and 70's which IMO for the most part made the USA a better place to live. I believe that the majority of citizens in the USA did see a need for many changes and thus "liberalism" became widely accepted in the 60's as the vehicle to bring about the changes. Part of this upheaval in this time period was a change that moved our economic system towards socialism and away from pure captialism (we never have had pure capitalism). By the late 70's and early 80's it was clear that the pendulum had swung too far towards socialism and that this change in the economic system was a failure and the pendulum began to swing in the other direction. IMO many began to question whether or not the pendulum had swung too far in other areas besides the economic system. Over the last 25 years IMO you've seen a kind of contra movement to the changes made in the 60's in an attempt to eradicate those that were faulty, harmful and unnecessary. I think many on the left today feel that too many changes fromt the 60's have been undone and the remainder are threatened.

[Dr Wogga]

....and I concur. I was also a liberal in the late 60's, early 70's. Anti-Viet Nam war, anti-government, pro-choice, pro-equal rights for minorities. And slowly, but surely, change was effected. I also whole-heartedly agree that the pendulum swung too far over to the left - way too far toward the militant left. The feminist movement, aclu, black activists, greenpeace might as well be communist headquarter the way they DEMAND we, the people roll over. Their attitude is constantly "our way or the highway" - exactly the polar opposite to why people joined some of these groups to begin with. They went from reasonable voices of dissent (a good thing) to para-military voices of "We know what's best for you America." Gentlemen, the tide is turning. More of us in the middle have a lot more to say about what happens on the extreme fringes. Keep plugging. And keep boycotting the spineless two-faced fench

[ACPlayer]

It may simply be that as one gets older some people start to become the establishment rather than questioning the establishment. That is become less "liberal".

[Parmenides]

M,
What country have you been living in? Conservatives penned the Patriot Act which abolishes the IV amendment. Conservatives are quoted regularly supporting things such as outawing homosexuality. I bet they come out in favor of mandatory webcams in citizen bedrooms so they can prosecute anyone engaging in hetero-sexual oral sex.

The Pentagon invites a speaker that tells the crowd that the only way to have a relationaship with G-d is through Jesus.

Anyone that questions the questionable foreign policy of the Administration is publicly labled a terrorist sympathizer.

Anyone that questions intelligence "failures" on 9-11 must be a communist.

If you believe that Ruppert Murdock is fair and balanced in his news coverage, then I'd suggest that you are gullible.

Bush wasn't even elected. The conservatives on the Supreme Court that used to favor States rights selectively decided to deny Floridians the right to count their votes.

This country is very close to fascist dictatorship.

[MMMMMM]

I wasn't really addressing the most recent developments or what you mention, nor neo-conservatism. Rather I was just trying to focus on the liberal movement as a whole and how it seems to have changed over the years.

That idea about installing bedroom webcams might have great commercial potential, by the way. Would you happen to know if Clearchannel has ever considered a bid to take over the "Spice" cable TV channel?