this post was submitted on 20 Jun 2024
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I am asking you. And I’m asking a substantially more specific question than “what is liberalism”.
At least you could cite the relevant sections of that mammoth document.
It's kind of weird to ask for what my view of liberalism is, and then immediately reject a detailed explanation you're provided with. It's as if you don't actually care for the answer to your question. That said, I'll sum up the relevant points for you here.
The English revolution of 1649 led to the rise of a liberal capitalist system based on greed, exploitation, and violence. The western political-economic system, with its focus on profit and expansion, is a direct result of this historical process. Freedom under liberalism primarily refers to freedom of those who own private property to exploit others for their benefit.
The commercial mindset permeates every aspect of life, with money becoming the central focus of thought and action creating a society that is inherently expansionist and imperialist, fueled by a relentless pursuit of new markets and profit. This expansion is achieved through violence and subjugation. The imposition of the capitalist system that is at the root of liberalism is based on violence and coercion, forcing individuals to conform to its principles or face dire consequences.
Liberalism has two distinct aspects: political liberalism, which champions individual freedom and democracy, and economic liberalism, which is synonymous with capitalism. While appearing compatible when fighting against oppressive regimes, the two faces of liberalism clash once power is attained. Political liberties are inevitably sacrificed to protect the economic interests of the ruling class.
When threatened by populism, liberalism readily abandons its political ideals in favor of preserving the capitalist economic system. Liberalism ultimately serves as a mask for capitalism, concealing its exploitative nature behind a facade of individual freedom and democracy.
The concept of property, central to liberalism, is presented as a cornerstone of freedom. However, it ignores the fact that individual property can represent a theft from the community, and its protection justifies state violence. Liberalism's commitment to freedom of expression is undermined by its legal and constitutional protections of property, which remove the issue of property rights from the realm of political discourse.
Overall, liberalism is a deceptive ideology that masks the exploitative nature of capitalism. It prioritizes the protection of property and economic interests over genuine political freedom and open debate.
You understand how the thing you typed supports my position, not yours right?
Liberals have no “ideological purity”, other than “Money is good”. The rest are easily abandoned precepts at best, but more likely fake pretenses from the start.
That doesn't support your position at all. Liberals have a narrow dogma centred on private ownership, and reject any ideas that conflict with it.
How about we take a break, you read what you posted, then we cycle back? Pay special attention to the paragraph you wrote that starts with “when threatened by populism”.
Perhaps take your own advice, actually try to understand what I said, and then get back to me if you have an actual point to make.
What part of my original comment displayed a dogmatic adherence “liberal” ideology?
All that private property I didn’t mention? Or was it something else?
Understanding what liberal ideology stands for is key for understanding why liberals are becoming an insular cult now that the ideology is in a crisis. This is precisely the point I'm making here regarding the threat of populism:
Liberals see both right and left wing populism, which is another term for the democratic will of the majority, as a threat to their core ideology of private ownership. Hence why liberals lash out whenever seeing sources they consider to fall outside the approved liberal Overton window.
Dude, that has no bearing on my comment whatsoever. Just admit you just use “liberal” as a general purpose insult without thinking and move on.
I tried having a discussion with you in good faith, and put effort into explaining my position. In response, I got predictable trolling. Bye.