I’ve been spending way too much time in the blogosphere and on the internet in general. In my travels I’ve read a lot of political stuff that was linked to by folks who were scared by the ideas put forth in these articles. I thought I knew what some of the scary words  meant, but , just to double check myself, I thought I’d whip out my Lincoln Writing Dictionary for Children (copyright 1988) and look up some stuff:

Conservative- 1. wanting to keep things as they have been; against change. In politics people who are conservative generally believe that the government should hold to the values of the past and take a limited role in human affairs. 2. not taking chances; cautious or careful. 3. Following a modest style, not showy.

Liberal – 1. wanting to make changes in something with the goal of improving it; in favor of change. In politics, people who are liberal generally believe that the government should take an active role in human affairs and create new laws and programs tha will solve social problems. 2. willing to give freely; generous 3. not exact or strict

There was no definition for Marxism, maybe I need a grown-up dictionary for that one.

Socialism – a system of economics and government in which the factories,land, businesses, and other means of producing goods are owned by the government rather than by individual people or companies.

Since I’m in the dictionary already I am curious about the definitions for capitalism and communism:

Capitalism – a system in which individual people and companies rather than the government hold and control the money, or CAPITAL. Under capitalism, the things needed to do business, such as land, factories , and goods are privately owned and are operated to make money for the owners.

Communism – an economic system in which all property, goods, and services belong to the government rather than to individual people or private companies. Under communism all people are supposed to share equally in what is produced.

Very simplistic and yes I could have found more complicated and up to date definitions on the internet (and maybe I will another day), but I wanted a Sunday afternoon take – easy.