Quote Originally Posted by Proletariat
Not to mention that HoreTore's quote is an equally hamstrung Eurocentric view as the American perspective it taunts. If you think Republicans are 'extreme right' where on Earth do you put the BNP or France's National Front on the spectrum?
Not to mention that "liberal" by definition can't be moderate. Liberalism is about change, conservatism is about preserving the status quo. Neither side of the pond really uses the terms as they should, strictly speaking.

My theory for the difference is that the US was founded on a limited government, therefore to us, conservatism is trying to maintain that. I think that Europe doesn't have the same foundations in that regard, so the term takes on different meaning.

*I haven't really put much thought into this, mind you.