Progressive Vs. Liberal

U.S. Politics

The meanings of political terminology and labels often shift with the passage of time. In the United States, the definition of political identities and outlooks such as "liberal" and "progressive" can vary greatly depending on the context in which they are used.

Contemporary Usage

For several decades, the term "liberal" has been given negative connotations by Republican politicians and pundits, causing some liberal Democratic politicians to describe themselves or their policies as "progressive."

The Progressive Era

In the late 19th century and early 20th century the U.S. progressive movement positioned itself as a broad-based, practical response to the problems of the Industrial Revolution, outside of what was seen as the limitations of the left-right political spectrum.

Progressive Party

Formed by Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, the Progressive Party (also known as the Bull Moose Party) was the most popular third party in U.S. history, through several incarnations. The early Progressive Party platform advocated a greater role for government in regulating business and the formation of a social safety net, as well as women's suffrage.

The New Deal

Franklin D. Roosevelt is considered by many to be the textbook example of a liberal U.S. president, and his policies remain controversial. FDR instituted social welfare measures intended to end the Great Depression such as Social Security and the Works Progress Administration and banking regulation.

Liberals and Progressives Today

Although these labels are often used interchangeably and tend to favor many of the same policies, political journalist and columnist David Sirota says, "...traditional 'liberals' in our current parlance are those who focus on using taxpayer money to help better society," while the term "progressive" rightfully applies to "those who focus on using government power to make large institutions play by a set of rules."

References

• Progressive Living
• Liberal International
• "What's the Difference Between a Liberal and a Progressive?"; Huffington Post; David Sirota

Resources

• The Political Compass