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The origin of the "conservative" label
Reader comment on item: Fascism's Legacy: Liberalism
in response to reader comment: Liberal/Conservative ???

Submitted by Robert (United States), Jan 11, 2008 at 13:30

It appears that the term "conservatism" originated as a way of describing a desire to conserve the liberties that the people in the Anglo-Saxon world had already enjoyed for centuries:

http://ray-dox.blogspot.com/2006/07/monograph-below-monograph-is.html#1114

Liberalism indeed started out as describing a concern for individual liberties. Today we seem to have to say "classic liberalism" to refer to that, as Leftists have tried to claim the Liberal label for themselves, even though they are anything but concerned about individual liberties. Whenever I see the term "Liberal", I have to look at that type of policies advocated to determine if it is referring to the true classic liberal definition, or if it is being used as a synonym for Leftist. Hopefully those of us who believe in liberal amounts of freedom and liberty can take back the Liberal label to mean what it originally meant. Until then, we have two labels, "classic liberal" and "conservative" to refer to those who want liberal amounts of individual freedom/liberty or to conserve the liberties individuals already enjoy, and have for centuries. To refer to those who want to restrict freedom that individuals enjoy, thereby increasing the power of the state to intrude into the lives of individuals, I consider Leftist the proper term for that.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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Reader comments (63) on this item

Title By Date
A few questions [117 words]Stefan PatejakApr 9, 2008 13:28
↔ Modern Liberalism's Fascist Roots [336 words]orange yonasonJun 11, 2008 13:37
silliness [183 words]mattJan 24, 2008 14:48
↔ matt I was hoping you wouldn't generalize [145 words]SilicondocJan 29, 2008 17:29
↔ Buy the book, for the economy's sake! [265 words]mattJan 29, 2008 19:40
↔ Hmmm, more of the same [1038 words]SilicondocFeb 5, 2008 08:38
This book is amazing [140 words]Henrik R ClausenJan 20, 2008 12:10
Recent events have shown [39 words]Rocky LoreJan 20, 2008 02:37
Karl Rovism with a New Name [44 words]Barry ListJan 17, 2008 11:19
Quote [32 words]ClarkJan 15, 2008 18:21
Semantics and Rhetoric [145 words]Peter HerzJan 15, 2008 17:58
Long a thinking man's suspicion is finally in a book form [92 words]Fiona GradyJan 12, 2008 13:13
↔ Yes indeed [24 words]ClarkJan 15, 2008 18:10
Hitler and Mussolini were not socialists [60 words]PseudoerasmusJan 12, 2008 11:37
↔ The principle of subsidiarity [344 words]Tomas KiersteinJan 14, 2008 14:32
↔ Well said [54 words]ClarkJan 15, 2008 18:15
↔ Comment on Tomas Kierstein [654 words]PseudoerasmusJan 17, 2008 20:36
↔ Economics vs. political [38 words]DeadbambiMar 15, 2008 22:23
↔ Hitler and Mussolini WERE socialists [112 words]LeeFeb 26, 2009 18:27
From Liberal Authoritarianism to Islamo Fascism [590 words]Ann FarmerJan 11, 2008 17:55
↔ The Flying Inn [152 words]Tomas Kierstein (Denmark)Jan 11, 2008 19:36
↔ The Fascism of Liberalism [682 words]Ann FarmerJan 13, 2008 15:23
Jonah Goldberg: Bolshevik Conservative [127 words]Elilhu DavisonJan 11, 2008 07:32
↔ Solid studies on Leftism and Liberalism [194 words]George KeselmanJan 12, 2008 12:29
Dutch translation [950 words]FerdyJan 11, 2008 06:49
Marx Brothers [667 words]Tomas Kierstein (Denmark)Jan 11, 2008 05:00
For some people it was evident long ago [7 words]R.B., IsraelJan 11, 2008 04:00
One of the most Important Articles Ever at danielpipes.org [4 words]YnnatchkahJan 11, 2008 00:56
linkage [8 words]Consul-At-ArmsJan 11, 2008 00:05
An interesting review by a bright young man, whose career I have followed since he was studying in Prague. [315 words]Jascha KesslerJan 10, 2008 23:43
Mussolini, McCarthy and Bush. Born out of fear. [484 words]trans-parereJan 10, 2008 22:34
Liberal/Conservative ??? [277 words]T. JeffersJan 10, 2008 18:15
↔ ⇒ The origin of the "conservative" label [207 words]RobertJan 11, 2008 13:30
Black is Still the Preferred Color of Fascism-Who is Wearing Black in the Middle East Now? [467 words]M. ToveyJan 10, 2008 17:47
The bright man's burden [63 words]Pat HenryJan 10, 2008 17:26
Limited Government [75 words]Anthony CooperJan 10, 2008 16:04
Fascism's Legacy: Liberatlism [213 words]kim segarJan 10, 2008 15:40
Fascism and liberalism [703 words]Donald W. BalesJan 10, 2008 15:19
↔ Thank you Mr. Bales, I find that number SMALL. [244 words]SilicondocFeb 5, 2008 09:03
↔ Deaths [45 words]Donald W. BalesFeb 6, 2008 09:22
↔ Socialism [59 words]Donald W. BalesFeb 6, 2008 19:48
↔ Ok, then I've overestimated the percentage [103 words]SilicondocFeb 7, 2008 05:18
Liberalism and Fascism [43 words]Prof. Irving HexhamJan 10, 2008 13:10
We agree -- it's a worn out term [180 words]Eben SpinozaJan 10, 2008 12:51
The lesson of Hannukah [71 words]David W. LincolnJan 10, 2008 11:50
Liberal fascists versus conservatives [196 words]Michael P BiberJan 10, 2008 11:12
CAMPUS WATCH DEFINITION OF MCCARTHYISM [431 words]Mary ConnellyJan 10, 2008 11:00
Distorting Reality [414 words]Steve RalstonJan 10, 2008 10:58
Let freedom ring [338 words]Rebecca MouldsJan 10, 2008 10:24
wrong paper [188 words]cvtJan 10, 2008 09:39
Liberal Fascists [227 words]Dennis MiddlebroksJan 10, 2008 09:17
Communists & fascists:The Totalitarian Tag-Team [230 words]Alan HootnickJan 10, 2008 09:06
Comment on Daniel Pipes article "Fascism's Legacy: Liberalism" [185 words]J.S.Jan 10, 2008 09:00
Oppressive government by any name remains oppressive government. [423 words]reevesJan 10, 2008 08:14
↔ to reader Reeves [124 words]Fred HerreroAug 30, 2008 18:46
At Last A Dose Of Reality [226 words]Seamus MacNemiJan 10, 2008 07:24
Hillary Clinton [76 words]LeonardJan 10, 2008 07:22
↔ My golly, what is hillarycare and 5k per baby ? [437 words]SilicondocFeb 5, 2008 09:22
The Liberal-Fascist Connection [164 words]Prof. Paul EidelbergJan 10, 2008 05:49
Your article 5355: Fascism's Legacy: Liberalism
[w/response] [46 words]		Gabriel NewhouseJan 10, 2008 03:26
Liberals hate seeing themselves as they are, totalitarian fascists [257 words]Ken BesigJan 10, 2008 02:16
Types of fascism [101 words]Janusz KowalikJan 10, 2008 01:46
Liberal Fascism [62 words]Rev. Gary CollierJan 10, 2008 01:36

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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