"liberal democracy"

[Baker, John]

        My understanding of "liberal democracy" is more along the lines of the Wikipedia article with that name.  Wikipedia also has an article on "illiberal democracy," although it doesn't seem to be very well-sourced.  I presume that "liberal" is used in the broad sense, as in "liberal thought" or "liberal arts," rather than the liberal/conservative political dichotomy.


John Baker



-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Shapiro, Fred
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 10:16 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: "liberal democracy"

I assume Turkey can be classified as a conservative democracy, and probably various countries in Eastern Europe as well.  The results of the Arab spring, if the democratic aspects of it last, will be very conservative democracies.  And what is the United States itself if not a conservative democracy?  I assume the US would be very happy with a conservative democracy in Korea.

Fred Shapiro



________________________________________
From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of Laurence Horn [laurence.horn at YALE.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 9:34 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: "liberal democracy"

On Jan 4, 2012, at 8:57 AM, James A. Landau wrote:

> from a news story on Netscape News, discussing the possibility of a re-united Korea:
>
> http://channels.isp.netscape.com/news/story.jsp?floc=FF-APO-+&idq=/ff/story/1001%2F20120104%2F4710.htm&sc=+
>
> "South Korea and its U.S. ally would likely balk at anything other than a Korea that's a liberal democracy, or at least moving in that direction."
>
> My problem: what is meant by "liberal" in the phrase "liberal democracy"?
>
> Is there such a thing as a "conservative democracy"?  If such a beastie exists, would the US be happy with a conservative democracy in Korea?
>
> Would "illiberal democracy" be an oxymoron?
>
> Etc. etc.
>
>     - Jim Landau (not partisan, merely baffled)
>
I'd classify Russia as a non-liberal democracy, given the constraints on freedom of press, religion, assembly, etc.  Maybe Egypt is becoming one.  I think it's the presence and enforcement of such liberties that distinguish liberal democracies from the other kind, which as far as I know don't have a distinguishing label.  "Liberal" is not the antonym of "conservative" in this context (or indeed, in most of the non-U.S. world).

LH

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