this post was submitted on 25 Nov 2025
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Explain Like I'm Five

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[–] Sibshops@lemmy.myserv.one 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Modern liberalism in the US does have a position on economic philosophy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_liberalism_in_the_United_States

Economically, modern liberalism accepts a role for government to protect against market failures, protect competition and prevent corporate monopolies, and supports labor rights.[2] Its fiscal policy supports sufficient funding for a social safety net, while simultaneously promoting income-proportional tax reform policies to reduce deficits. It calls for active government involvement in other social and economic matters such as reducing economic inequality, expanding access to education and healthcare, and protection of the shared natural environment.[3]

[–] lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Right, and modern US liberalism isn't general liberalism. Plus, those distinctly modern elements absent from general liberalism of active non-market interventions by the government to protect the market from failure, provide a safety net, provide access to education & healthcare, provide public services to reduce inequality, protect the environment, etc, are social departures from capitalism, are they not? That position aligns better with social democracy

a social, economic, and political philosophy within socialism

social democracy aims to strike a balance by advocating for a mixed market economy where capitalism is regulated to address inequalities through social welfare programs and supports private ownership with a strong emphasis on a well-regulated market

If anything, modern US liberalism conflicts more with your earlier assertion that

Liberalism is basically capitalism

Whereas general liberalism is largely indifferent to economic system, modern US liberalism favors a form of socialism.

[–] Sibshops@lemmy.myserv.one 2 points 2 days ago

You are right, but 99% of the time when people on this site talk bad about liberals, they mean modern liberalism in the US. Not classical or general liberalism.