Liberalism is the ideological basis of Capitalism. When Capitalism was a progressive force, ie during the French Revolution, it was considered left wing. Now that Capitalism has become entrenched and turned to Imperialism, the progressive side is undeniably Socialism, while liberalism entrenches the status quo.

Simply saying that liberalism at one point was progressive does not mean history has not had several centuries of shifts and developments since then.

[–] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You're being incredibly euro-centric with your claims here.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

How so?

[–] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world -2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Your notion of where the modern divide lies is 100% European and won’t hold true when you consider all nations.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Liberalism is european in origin, as Capitalism first truly took hold there. It isn't the "modern divide" but the notion of Liberalism as a progressive motion or regressive motion.

[–] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world -3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Capitalism was first instituted by the first Liberal nation- the USA. Europe was mostly mercantilist

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

No, the mode of production creates the ideology, not the opposite.

[–] MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world -2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

And Europe was mired in mercantilist systems. The government gave business permission to exist in many cases.

America was the first to institute capitalism, Europeans cane up with the philosophy but America put it into practice.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 months ago

Mercantilism is not distinct from Capitalism, but a form of it.