Posted by TByte on
URL: https://coalpha.arkian.net/What-is-Liberalism-or-a-history-of-Western-thought-tp6188106p6767585.html

I'm satisfied with Wikipedia's definition:
"Liberalism (from the Latin liberalis, "of freedom") is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights."
There is ample evidence that societies have trended towards greater freedoms, liberties, and equal rights for their citizens throughout history.  Note drealm, that I said "trended".  This does not imply linear progression, so please read more carefully before posting responses.  (Not the first time I've asked you that....)
By the standard above, the 1960s did not "fully express liberalism".  We as a country, and the world in general, have greater liberties and rights than we had in the 1960s.
Regarding conquered empires being almost invariably liberal while conquerors are conservative, you'd have to show some hard statistics to support that.  You'd also need to account for the fact that conservative societies are more militaristic and liberal societies are less likely to engage in warfare as a means to settle disputes.  Liberal societies "conquer" economically and socially, rather than militaristically.  If one uses the simple evolutionary standard of success, liberalism has been conquering conservativism on a grand scale for thousands of years.