To be bold and attempt to summarize the difference in one sentence: Liberals hold equality as their guiding principle, conservatives, liberty. I'm sure that wi

To be bold and attempt to summarize the difference in one sentence: Liberals hold equality as their guiding principle, conservatives, liberty. I'm sure that will irk both sides to some degree. But regardless of the stated motives, I've found it to be a pretty accurate (as someone who identifies as neither). Of course there are many examples of partisan interests, actors acting contrary to stated positions once in power and/or being in bed with entrenched political/business interests. All that jazz. But on a given position I've found it's usually accurate that liberals will value equality for all, including the smallest minorities. Vice versa conservatives and liberty (where even the 1% is a minority). I'm not taking a stand here beyond that, and hopefully we can avoid pointing out all the instances where party dynamics (see: PG's essay on Identity) cause this to breakdown in inconsistent ways. Abortion, drugs, etc. I've met many smart, educated, eloquent conservatives who have expressed entirely reasonable views if you take the fundamental assumption of individual liberty as your founding principle, some of whom have changed my own mind. Likewise liberals, so long as you take equality as your ideal. Hopefully this doesn't step on too many identity-toes.