1. conservative – Generally a trend to maintain a traditional stance on an issue. For example, if one was culturally conservative in the United States, they would probably be against an issue like girls wearing 6 inch tall pink mohawks to school because it is a traditionally unacceptable hairstyle. If one were fiscally conservative, they would probably be against an excess of government taxing and spending; they would want to be “conservative” with their money.
2. liberalism – Only lately used as an opposite to the term conservative; historically, it means to hold individual liberties as the most important social or political goal. For example, if one were culturally liberal, they would hold that girls could wear 6 inch tall pink mohawks to school because it is that person’s individual choice. If one were fiscally liberal, they would probably be for government spending on stuff like space exploration; even though it is not absolutely necessary for human survival, it is still culturally important.
3. right-wing – Are usually people or ideas that seek to uphold or return the traditional establishment of a civil society and the preservation of the domestic culture, usually in the face of external forces for change. For example, many right-wing thinkers believe that all people in America should legally have to learn English.
4. left-wing – Are usually people who wish to change or abolish the existing political or social order. Sometimes, under this category are people who try to promote equality in wealth and privilege. For example, many left-wing people believe that helping the poor at the expense of the rich is a good thing.
5. socialism – A broad term for any political ideology that promotes collective ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods and services, as opposed to private ownership (like we have in the U.S., if your dad owns a car factory, he owns it, not the