> The big philosophical difference to me is in what each side believes the proper role of government should be. I think you're close here, but I don't think th

> The big philosophical difference to me is in what each side believes the proper role of government should be. I think you're close here, but I don't think that's the root of it. That difference in position is important, but it comes from even deeper philosophical differences. I think this boils down to the argument over positive vs negative rights (freedom to vs freedom from). A worldview built on negative rights has to have a much smaller legitimate role for the government than one built on positive rights. In the former, the government can never make anything better, only potentially rectifying wrongs (usually via punishing the offender). Within that framework, the goal of the government becomes to rectify the worst of the wrongs while disturbing things as little as possible. A worldview built on positive rights inherently leaves a bigger space for the government to behave legitimately, because this worldview sees the government as having a role in making things better. Of course, there are very few people who adhere 100% to either of these, so reality is a bit more complicated.