Questions About The Political Spectrum

[slippy521]

I wanted to know more about left wing and right wing so I've been studying this chapter about the political spectrum https://books.google.com/books?id=hKO9CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA14&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false and it's a bit confusing to me. Here are some questions I have,

1. It says how conservatives want to preserve the societies institutions, but what are the institutions they wish to preserve?

2. I've heard school choice, which is a relatively new idea, is supported by conservatives, despite it being a large change to the education system. Why are some new ideas considered conservative when liberals are the advocates for change.

3. If reactionary is defined by retrogressive change, then why is fascism a reactionary system when it's never been a system in America in past?

Thank you.

[dance2trance]

In essence conservatives (right wing) think government should back out of all interference in the economy and society and focus on infrastructure (eg M ways) and international affairs only (trade deals). Liberals (left wing) think government can control the economy and infra structure and international affairs and culture and society. So you are correct. There is self evident confusion between the two extremes. Is controlling Liberal? Is abandoning control not more Liberal? But hey we have said that is conservative. But who determines what is and is not 'change' anyway. If politicians do are they not then fascist ie forcing people to comply with their wishes? It is a dog's breakfast is politics.