American liberal, which I think means socialist in the rest of the world
Just a minor nitpick, I think it’s the other way around. I’m reasonably sure that the American form of liberalism is usually on the right end of the political spectrum in other Western democracies. What is called liberal in other countries is what many Americans would call socialist and what is called moderate is ‘American liberal’. Specifically, the Democratic Party’s (the major party that most Americans call liberal) significant policy stances would probably be considered moderate in Great Britain and conservative in Denmark.
What is called liberal in other countries is what many Americans would call socialist
Nope, in France “libéral” is closer to American “libertarian”, i.e. pro-free markets, anti-welfare (as opposed to the “mainstream” right wing, which isn’t particularly hostile to big government, and is more about traditional values and whatnot, and of course as opposed to the socialists and other left-wingers, who are very much at odds with the liberals). I think “liberal” has the same meaning in most of Europe (and in most of the world, though I’m less sure of that), and Americans and Canadians are more of the exception (where for historicaly reasons “socialist” had anti-American connotations, so the label “liberal” was adopted instead. This is a gross oversimplification).
Thank you for the clarification. I did remember that in other countries liberal meant classically liberal as opposed to American modern liberalism. So in France, “libéral” is economically liberal but not necessarily socially permissive? Or did you mean “small-l libertarianism” when you referred to American “libertarian” and not the Libertarian Party?
Let me rephrase: we would consider your socialists liberal, even though certain parts of the world have a political spectrum shifted so far to the left that even your right-wing parties are liberal. In this case I meant that I wonder whether Magical Britain is as far to the left as regular Britain.
Just a minor nitpick, I think it’s the other way around. I’m reasonably sure that the American form of liberalism is usually on the right end of the political spectrum in other Western democracies. What is called liberal in other countries is what many Americans would call socialist and what is called moderate is ‘American liberal’. Specifically, the Democratic Party’s (the major party that most Americans call liberal) significant policy stances would probably be considered moderate in Great Britain and conservative in Denmark.
Nope, in France “libéral” is closer to American “libertarian”, i.e. pro-free markets, anti-welfare (as opposed to the “mainstream” right wing, which isn’t particularly hostile to big government, and is more about traditional values and whatnot, and of course as opposed to the socialists and other left-wingers, who are very much at odds with the liberals). I think “liberal” has the same meaning in most of Europe (and in most of the world, though I’m less sure of that), and Americans and Canadians are more of the exception (where for historicaly reasons “socialist” had anti-American connotations, so the label “liberal” was adopted instead. This is a gross oversimplification).
Thank you for the clarification. I did remember that in other countries liberal meant classically liberal as opposed to American modern liberalism. So in France, “libéral” is economically liberal but not necessarily socially permissive? Or did you mean “small-l libertarianism” when you referred to American “libertarian” and not the Libertarian Party?
Let me rephrase: we would consider your socialists liberal, even though certain parts of the world have a political spectrum shifted so far to the left that even your right-wing parties are liberal. In this case I meant that I wonder whether Magical Britain is as far to the left as regular Britain.