Do most liberals support economic freedom?

[Viking11]

Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, widely considered to be the most liberal countries on Earth, all rank as 'mostly free' on the Index of Economic Freedom.

The countries that rank the lowest on economic freedom are failed states and authoritarian dictatorships such as Iran, Myanmar, Belarus and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I think both liberals and conservatives support basic economic freedoms such as property rights, business freedom and investment freedom. I consider these modern, Western values, not 'conservative' values. The only difference is that liberals support high taxes and a stronger welfare state.

 

[Henrin]

They support controlling the outcomes of the economy, so no, not really.

 

[Medusa]

Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, widely considered to be the most liberal countries on Earth, all rank as 'mostly free' on the Index of Economic Freedom.

The countries that rank the lowest on economic freedom are failed states and authoritarian dictatorships such as Iran, Myanmar, Belarus and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I think both liberals and conservatives support basic economic freedoms such as property rights, business freedom and investment freedom. I consider these modern, Western values, not 'conservative' values. The only difference is that liberals support high taxes and a stronger welfare state.

they are not the most liberal economically ,but socially yes

 

[German guy]

Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, widely considered to be the most liberal countries on Earth, all rank as 'mostly free' on the Index of Economic Freedom.

The countries that rank the lowest on economic freedom are failed states and authoritarian dictatorships such as Iran, Myanmar, Belarus and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I think both liberals and conservatives support basic economic freedoms such as property rights, business freedom and investment freedom. I consider these modern, Western values, not 'conservative' values. The only difference is that liberals support high taxes and a stronger welfare state.

What's the definition of "economic freedom"?

The situation in *all* Western countries is similar: *All* major forces on both left and right generally support a free market economy with certain regulations, aka "mixed economy". The differences are marginal between left and right; they only appear so big because of a lack of context.

The extremes -- anarcho-capitalists on one side, hardcore communists on the other -- are virtually non-existant in Western politics today.

These numbers are just examples, of course, but, say, American liberals want a mixed economy of 60% socialism and 40% capitalism, while American conservatives want 40% socialism and 60% capitalism. In the big picture, those are really just nuances.

Which is one reason why I find it so ridiculous when American righties, who don't even really know what "socialism" actually is, all get their pants in a twist about the sky allegedly falling, because Obama/Sandards/Democrat of choice allegedly is a "socialist": Even Ronald Reagan supported only slightly less "socialism".

Suggesting Obama, Sanders, or *any* democrat for that matter, is even close to real communist kinds of socialism, as existed in the East Bloc -- which would mean a nationalization of ALL private business, perhaps even a ban on private property -- is so laughable and ridiculous that the one suggesting it just makes a fool of himself.

IMO.

 

[Cyrylek]

"Liberal" in America means something very different from "liberal" in Continental Europe. What Europeans call "liberal" is the classical liberal, the moderate libertarian. Who, naturally, supports economic freedom. In the USA, the word is used, weirdly, to describe social democrats who, generally speaking, prefer to err on the side of government intervention and redistribution.

 

[Van Basten]

I haven't met any who don't.

 

[German guy]

But those who were governing Scandinavia for decades weren't European "liberals", but social democrats.

And even those didn't want to abandon generally free markets or make banking illegal. All they want is a little more regulation and a little more social spending, compared to those on the right.

 

[Bootlace]

But those who were governing Scandinavia for decades weren't European "liberals", but social democrats.

And even those didn't want to abandon generally free markets or make banking illegal. All they want is a little more regulation and a little more social spending, compared to those on the right.

Liberals are pretty free with my economics... So yeah...I guess.