People's opinions on a wide range of issues are influenced or determined by the type of fundamental belief systems they hold. Therefore, the difference in the nature of opinions between individuals or groups of people hints at the existence of distinct belief systems. Throughout history, the distinction between liberalism and conservatism has become more stark, particularly in the political arena where various actors have expressed opposing views on the future of the nation. It is in fact indisputable that the fundamental convictions of liberalism are diametrically opposed to those of conservatism. This essay will give a definition of each term and describe how the two contrast. Liberalism is a political ideology that prides itself on and emphasizes the need for equal rights and respect for human freedom. It encourages the implementation of change as the only way to resolve current challenges. On the other hand, conservatism as a political ideology advocates the need to learn lessons from the past and apply them to solve today's problems. Therefore, it opposes revolution or change and instead finds pride in traditions (Conservatism versus Liberalism, 2008). Liberalism supports a number of issues. First, liberals believe that there should be a formal contract or agreement between the people and their democratically elected government on a number of issues. For example, the government, while guaranteeing the common good of all, has a duty to protect the rights of citizens within limited powers. In other words, the government is supposed to govern with restraint and never attempt to interfere with the private rights and freedoms of citizens. Therefore, based on mutual benefit and convenience, the formal agreement reached middle of paper......conservatives describe human nature in a much less admirable way than liberals. For example, they see man as a selfish being, capable of good and evil. Man must fight evil with good and any evil committed must not be attributed to society but to the person who committed it. Therefore, individuals who commit evil should be punished individually (Downing, 2010). From the description of liberalism and conservatism given in this essay, it is clear that both aspects of liberalism and conservatism are useful in governance, as opposing views can be used to strengthen consensus and good for all . Taking one side and ignoring the other can only lead to negative social, political and economic consequences. In order to build a brilliant democratic system, liberalism and conservatism must be merged, as both aspects carry valuable ideologies..