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Richard asks why I use the phrase “liberal democracy”
@BurtonPhilipis right: I use it because I think both “liberal” and “liberal democracy” should be reclaimed and restored to their original (classical) meanings.
Here’s a good definition of “liberal democracy” Notice that “liberal democracy” is a form of representative democracy. America didn’t start as a liberal democracy because when the nation was formed, power belonged to white men only.
American history can be viewed as trending toward more inclusiveness— always facing powerful resistance. A dispute between Democrats and Republicans is whether the trend toward inclusiveness is good or bad. I remember the first time I heard ‘liberal’ used as a pejorative.
The first George Bush said “liberal” with a sneer, in the tone someone might say “ax-murderer.” I was shocked. I knew liberal meant open-minded, open to change, generous, not bound by authoritarianism. I had a degree in the liberal arts. I assumed this was a GOOD thing.
Rejecting the dictionary definition and accepting that liberal is a harsh radical term is to let the right wing define us. I think we should reclaim the word, emphasize the classical meaning, and insist that open minded and not bound by authoritarianism are desirable traits.
Using the word “conservative” to describe the modern Republican Party is a misnomer. https://twitter.com/Teri_Kanefield/status/1037366136340271104 …As Max Boot and others have pointed out, the GOP is no longer conservative. Trump is (in many ways) the opposite of a conservative. The correct word is authoritarian.
