Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What is liberalism?“

Liberalism:

Everyone has a place to say what they want,
No hatred of anybody,
You can speak your mind openly and pluralistically, i.e. in a way allowing for multiple opinions,
We can reach a dialogue—first and foremost, understand each other, and gradually integrate with each other.
As a result of such human conduct, we’ll develop a greater understanding of human society.

However, if the situation continues as it does today—where one side hates the other—then it cannot be considered as “liberal” or “democratic.” The side that is calling the other side “non-democratic” is already a non-democratic side.

This form of interest-based politics is dead.

I learned it upon myself in the Former Soviet Union. They would use pleasant words about brotherly love and unity to cover their killing of the people. It was used only with power motives to cover the social division and hatred, which was the reality of the time. Their high investment in the propaganda of this idea impressed not only its own people, but societies as far as Western Europe.

It worked for a while, and then it all collapsed.

However, today where we have one side saying that it is liberal and democratic, and absolutely hates the other side, wanting to eliminate it completely, going as far as forcefully protesting against them, what kind of democracy is that?

Democracy is that we sort these problems out peacefully and reasonably.

Liberalism is when I gather together other people’s opinions, wanting to connect everyone together in a social dialogue.

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