Progressive vs. Conservative — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 1, 2023
Progressive favors new ideas and change, while Conservative emphasizes preserving existing traditions and values.
Difference Between Progressive and Conservative
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Progressive, in a political and social context, often denotes favoring new ideas, modern methods, and change. This mindset is about forward movement, adaptation, and embracing evolution in various facets of life. Conversely, Conservative embodies a preference for maintaining the status quo, often reflecting a desire to uphold existing traditions, values, and practices.
In social policies, Progressive perspectives frequently advocate for reforms and innovations, seeing change as an avenue for improvement and justice. In contrast, a Conservative viewpoint tends to prioritize stability and continuity, often resisting abrupt alterations to longstanding practices.
When discussing economics, Progressive policies generally lean towards wealth redistribution and governmental intervention to address societal disparities. Conservative economic views, however, lean towards minimal governmental intervention, emphasizing free markets and individual enterprise.
Broadening beyond politics, Progressive can also describe something that advances in stages or progresses incrementally. Meanwhile, Conservative can be used outside of political contexts to describe something characterized by caution or modesty.
Lastly, the cultural sphere isn't exempt from these terms. Progressive cultures may be more accepting of diverse lifestyles and innovative art forms, while Conservative cultures might resist such changes, valuing traditional lifestyles and classical art forms.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Favoring new ideas and change
Preserving existing traditions and values
Economic Perspective
Advocates for wealth redistribution and governmental intervention
Favors minimal government intervention and free markets
Cultural Context
Open to diverse lifestyles and innovative art forms
Values traditional lifestyles and classical art forms
Rate of Change
Embraces rapid or incremental change
Resists abrupt changes, prefers stability
Beyond Politics
Describes something advancing in stages
Characterized by caution or modesty
Compare with Definitions
Progressive
Advocating for social reform.
Progressive activists rallied for healthcare reforms.
Conservative
Favoring traditional views and values; tending to oppose change.
Progressive
Developing gradually.
The disease had a progressive nature, worsening over time.
Conservative
Traditional or restrained in style
A conservative dark suit.
Progressive
Modern and forward-thinking.
She had a progressive mindset, always open to new technologies.
Conservative
Moderate; cautious
A conservative estimate.
Progressive
Favoring new methods or ideas.
Progressive teaching methods were introduced in the school.
Conservative
Of or relating to the political philosophy of conservatism.
Progressive
Moving forward; advancing.
Conservative
Belonging to a conservative party, group, or movement.
Progressive
Proceeding in steps; continuing steadily by increments
Progressive change.
Conservative
Conservative Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political conservatism, especially in the United Kingdom or Canada.
Progressive
Open to or favoring new ideas, policies, or methods
A progressive politician.
Progressive business leadership.
Conservative
Conservative Of or adhering to Conservative Judaism.
Progressive
Progressive Of or relating to a Progressive Party
The Progressive platform of 1924.
Conservative
Tending to conserve; preservative
The conservative use of natural resources.
Progressive
Of or relating to progressive education
A progressive school.
Conservative
One favoring traditional views and values.
Progressive
Increasing in rate as the taxable amount increases
A progressive income tax.
Conservative
A supporter of political conservatism.
Progressive
Tending to become more severe or wider in scope
Progressive paralysis.
Conservative
Conservative A member or supporter of a Conservative political party.
Progressive
(Grammar) Designating a verb form that expresses an action or condition in progress.
Conservative
A person who favors maintenance of the status quo.
Progressive
(Music) Of or being a style that emphasizes virtuoso technique, rhythmic and melodic complexity, and unconventional forms and instrumentation
Progressive rock.
Progressive jazz.
Conservative
(politics) One who opposes changes to the traditional institutions of their country.
Progressive
A person who is open to or favors new ideas, policies, or methods, especially in politics.
Conservative
A person who favors decentralization of political power and disfavors interventionist foreign policy.
Progressive
Progressive A member or supporter of a Progressive Party.
Conservative
A fiscal conservative.
Progressive
(Grammar) A progressive verb form.
Conservative
A social conservative.
Progressive
Favouring or promoting progress; advanced.
Conservative
Cautious, moderate.
The chef added a conservative amount of salt to the dish.
Progressive
Gradually advancing in extent; increasing.
Conservative
Tending to resist change or innovation.
The curriculum committee at this university is extremely conservative.
Progressive
Promoting or favoring progress towards improved conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods.
A progressive politician
Progressive business leadership
Conservative
Based on pessimistic assumptions.
At a conservative estimate, growth may even be negative next year.
Progressive
(politics) Liberal.
Conservative
Supporting some combination of fiscal, political or social conservatism.
Progressive
(education) Of or relating to progressive education.
A progressive school
Conservative
Relating to the Conservative Party.
Progressive
(of an income tax or other tax) Increasing in rate as the taxable amount increases.
Conservative
Neither creating nor destroying a given quantity.
Progressive
Advancing in severity.
Progressive paralysis
Conservative
Having power to preserve in a safe or entire state, or from loss, waste, or injury; preservative.
Progressive
Continuous.
Conservative
(Judaism) Relating to Conservative Judaism.
Progressive
A person who actively favors or strives for progress towards improved conditions, as in society or government.
Conservative
(clothing) Conventional, traditional, and moderate in style and appearance; not extreme, excessive, faddish, or intense.
Progressive
(grammar) A progressive verb; a verb used in the progressive tense and (in English) generally conjugated to end in -ing.
Conservative
(medicine) Not including any operation or intervention (said of a treatment, see conservative treatment)
Progressive
Moving forward; proceeding onward; advancing; evincing progress; increasing; as, progressive motion or course; - opposed to retrograde.
Conservative
Having power to preserve in a safe of entire state, or from loss, waste, or injury; preservative.
Progressive
Improving; as, art is in a progressive state.
Conservative
Tending or disposed to maintain existing institutions; opposed to change or innovation.
Progressive
Of or pertaining to the Progressive party.
Conservative
Of or pertaining to a political party which favors the conservation of existing institutions and forms of government, as the Conservative party in England; - contradistinguished from Liberal and Radical.
We have always been conscientiously attached to what is called the Tory, and which might with more propriety be called the Conservative, party.
Progressive
Favoring improvement, change, progress, or reform, especially in a political context; - used of people. Contrasted with conservative.
Conservative
One who, or that which, preserves from ruin, injury, innovation, or radical change; a preserver; a conserver.
The Holy Spirit is the great conservative of the new life.
Progressive
Disposed toward adopting new methods in government or education, holding tolerant and liberal ideas, and generally favoring improvement in civic life; - of towns and communities.
Conservative
One who desires to maintain existing institutions and customs; also, one who holds moderate opinions in politics; - opposed to revolutionary or radical.
Progressive
A tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going
Conservative
A member of the Conservative party.
Progressive
A person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties
Conservative
A person who has conservative ideas or opinions
Progressive
Favoring or promoting progress;
Progressive schools
Conservative
Resistant to change
Progressive
Favoring or promoting reform (often by government action)
Conservative
Opposed to liberal reforms
Progressive
(of taxes) adjusted so that the rate increases as the amount increases
Conservative
Avoiding excess;
A conservative estimate
Progressive
Gradually advancing in extent
Conservative
Unimaginatively conventional;
A colorful character in the buttoned-down, dull-gray world of business
Progressive
Advancing in severity;
Progressive paralysis
Conservative
Conforming to the standards and conventions of the middle class;
A bourgeois mentality
Conservative
Averse to change, holding traditional values.
His conservative beliefs made him skeptical of the new policy.
Conservative
Of or relating to the Conservative political party.
Conservative candidates won several seats in the election.
Conservative
Cautious or moderate.
He made a conservative estimate of the costs.
Conservative
Preserving or aiming to preserve existing conditions.
Conservationists take a conservative approach to environmental issues.
Conservative
Not extravagant.
She led a conservative lifestyle, avoiding excess.
Common Curiosities
Can Conservative refer to a cautious approach in general?
Yes, Conservative can describe a general approach characterized by caution or moderation.
Are Progressive educational methods new?
Progressive methods are often newer, emphasizing modern approaches and student-centered learning.
Are Progressive views always popular in urban areas?
While urban areas can be more receptive to Progressive views, it's not an absolute rule.
Are Progressive tax systems fair?
This is subjective; a Progressive tax system imposes higher taxes on higher incomes, seen as fair by some and unfair by others.
Is Progressive always related to politics?
No, "Progressive" can also describe anything that advances or develops gradually.
Can Progressive mean getting worse, like a disease?
Yes, in a medical context, Progressive can describe a condition that worsens over time.
Do all Progressive policies advocate for governmental intervention?
Not all, but many Progressive policies favor governmental intervention to address societal issues.
What's a non-political example of Conservative?
In finance, a conservative investment strategy prioritizes low-risk assets.
Can one person have both Progressive and Conservative views?
Absolutely, an individual might have Progressive views on certain issues and Conservative views on others.
Can businesses have Conservative strategies?
Yes, a business with a conservative strategy might avoid high-risk ventures, focusing on stable growth.
Do Conservative views always oppose change?
Not always, but Conservative views often emphasize preserving traditions and resisting abrupt changes.
Can a society be both Progressive and Conservative?
Yes, different segments of a society might lean Progressive or Conservative, or the society might adopt a mix of both values.
Is Progressive rock a political genre?
No, Progressive rock refers to a music style characterized by experimental and extended compositions, not politics.
Do Conservative views always align with religious beliefs?
Not always, but Conservative views can often align with traditional religious beliefs.
Are Conservative values the same worldwide?
No, what's considered Conservative varies by culture and region, reflecting local traditions and values.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
