Difference between liberal and progressive?

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Conservatives have always used the two words as synonyms, but I have had multiple left-wing posters object to my use of the term "far-left liberal", saying that those words are contradictory.  I always viewed liberalism as supporting a government-managed economy and deviant behaviors, which is exactly what I would describe as far-left.  But, some are saying that a far-left person isn't a liberal (but a progressive).  Isn't the term "progressive" just a rebranding of the word "liberal" because a lot of people don't like liberals?

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

Liberal could mean different things.  It could mean classical liberalism like that of Adam Smith or it could mean modern liberalism of the FDR/LBJ variety.  The latter would be considered "progressive" and left-wing.

[Since I'm the mad scientist proclaimed by myself]

"Progressive" is a way for berners and greens to be leftier then thou.

[Famous Mortimer]

These words have no absolutely meaning and change depending on context.

In general though, I would say no one uses the word "liberal" anymore except as an insult.

Centrist democrats call themselves "progressives" because they are afraid of being called liberals by right wingers trying to paint them as extreme left-wingers. Left-wingers call centrist democrats "liberals" not because they view them as left-wing but because they are using it in the European sense and are in fact calling them right-wingers. Left-wingers sometimes call themselves "progressives" as well but are slowly changing to just calling themselves socialists.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

"Progressive" has historically meant "Berniebro" or one with similar views:

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=29618

"Liberal" has been historically more vague, but now generally means centre-left (e.g., Kerry, HRC, Durbin).

[Ronnie]

I see them as two different concepts that operate on different spectrums.  Liberalism is a mode of thinking that originated during the Enlightenment period, and is somewhere in between the extremes of anarchism and fascism/absolute monarchism.  It emphasizes the ideals of liberty (e.g. the freedom of speech, press, and assembly), individualism (e.g. the right to private property), and most pointedly, the absence of intrinsic ethnic or racial privilege.  On the other hand, I see progressivism as the pursuit of adopting social-democratic reforms to soften the harshest elements of capitalism.  They often overlap in practice, since pretty much every progressive agrees with the liberal concepts I delineated, but I think progressivism necessarily entails advocating center-left-to-left-wing positions on the economy, while liberalism does not.  

[vote for pedro]

I'm sure I am oversimplifying it but I always equated progressive with socialist ideas.  Like the Rural Electrification Act and most of the New Deal.  Projects/problems that pure capitalism wouldn't address/solve.

Liberals I associate with the Civil Rights Act etc. 

I agree with EHarding. Just think of the differences between Bernie and HRC.

[Blue3]

Liberals can mean either Enlightenment-style classic liberals (and meant in many other countries)... or a synonym for progressive.

Progressive has become more popular because
1. to clear up the confusion on the international (and sometimes nation) scene, where liberal usually always means classical liberal
2. it's the opposite of "conservative"
3. similar to #2, it also underlines the "actively fighting for change, not the status quo or going back"  message
4. similar to #2 and #3, it's positive marketing message about going forward, the future, optimism, hope & change, etc.

[BlueSwan]

Basically, these words mean whatever people want them to mean. Here's how I usually use them.

Liberalism I use in the same way that we in Europe use the term "social liberalism" in the philosophicalæ tradition of people like John Stuart Mill and John Rawls. This is a way of thinking that emphasizes all of the individual rights of classic liberalism, but also recognizes the problem of unregulated market economics. Hence "Liberals" favour economic redistribution, but also recognizes that complete equality can never be reached and shouldn't be attempted as it will hinder growth and in the end leave the poor worse off. In other words, liberals are center left on economic issues, but clearly to the left on social issues.

"Progressive" has often been used by green movements that are not necessarily socialist, but emphasizes the idea that the current way of doing things have to be actively challenged. The "live and let live" attitude of liberalism is not enough. To create change "mini-revolutions" are needed. That could be stuff like affirmative action, quotas for women on boards, actively fighting to challenge sexual morals, etc.

What confuses this is the "progressive" has increasingly been used by people who are really socialists, but for some reason don't want to use that label. But to me, progressivism has always had a different meaning to socialism.

[LLR]

Liberalism is anybody on the left. Progressivism is linked to the farther left, but can include some moderates as well. Liberal is a blanket term, while progressive refers to certain issues and beliefs. You can be both liberal and progressive, or one or the other. Once you get to socialists, communists, and other such people, you stop being liberal for sure, but you can still be a progressive.

[Thank you for being a friend...]

I always saw progressive as meaning "reform".  Liberal just means "maintain a liberal government".  Progressive goes back to the Progressive Era.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

The root word of "liberal" is "liber", meaning "freedom".

The root word of "progressive" is "progress", which can mean whatever you want it to mean.

This is exceptionally relevant given the downright illiberal recent happenings on college campuses regarding the shutting down of free speech and kangaroo courts

[ApatheticAustrian]

the atmosphere on some university campuses is neither liberal nor progressive in any meaningful way.

[This Has Only Just Begun]

Progressive has become more popular because
2. it's the opposite of "conservative"

Wouldn't "regressive" be the opposite of "progressive"?  "Conservative" in the encyclopedia sense generally means maintaining the status quote, not reversing it.  With that said you can easily make the case that so-called "-progressive" laws like soda bans are actually very conservative in the sense that it's about regulating a person's lifestyle decisions.

[ApatheticAustrian]

conservatives are important for every democracy. reactionaries not so much.

[Blue3]

Progressive has become more popular because
2. it's the opposite of "conservative"

Wouldn't "regressive" be the opposite of "progressive"?  "Conservative" in the encyclopedia sense generally means maintaining the status quote, not reversing it.  With that said you can easily make the case that so-called "-progressive" laws like soda bans are actually very conservative in the sense that it's about regulating a person's lifestyle decisions.

Regressive is another opposite of Progressive.

And many "conservatives" today are indeed "regressive."

And I never thought of soda ban laws as progressive or conservative or regressive... just statist.

[dead0man]

which group is cool with punching poser Nazis and which group is sane?