Liberalism and Its Discontents

In the classic sense, liberalism has very different meaning than politically liberal of today. Liberalism involves a role of law, freedom and free flow of ideas. The modern left and right have taken parts of it to extremes to the detriment of society. 

The left has become excessively focussed on "marginalized group identity." Past oppression is used to favor certain groups. Others that are deemed "in power" are lessor, regardless of the individual's actual state. The left actively seeks to shut down debate that may be deemed offensive. (However, this target is subject to change. Some groups, such as Muslims can find themselves on both sides. The left protects figures such as Salman Rushdie that publishes books that many Muslims deem hateful, yet it protects Muslims from anti-Islam rhetoric from the right.) The left would like to force everyone to adopt new values that it deems appropriate.

The right has focussed on economic freedom. Regulations on business should be kept to a bare minimum. As many functions as possible should be outsourced to the public sector with as little as possible maintained as part of the state. The state should be protected from those that don't share the same values.  The right would like everyone to have the same classical values that are deemed appropriate.

Both sides attack liberalism as not being relevant for today. However, many of their attacks are based on the perversion that they see from the other side. Classic liberalism requires a rule of law and a system of equality for all. Evolution is a slow process built on uncensored debate. Different people may have different values. That is ok. One side should not force values on others. Gradually values may change as everyone continues to work together.