How did your political views evolve?

[Night Runner]

I've always been curious about the way people's beliefs and convictions evolve as they grow older. How did your political views evolve? Be as brief or eloquent as you'd like. :) I don't want this thread to derail into a shouting match about differing opinions, though, so please stay on topic. The thread is for both Americans and non-Americans: it would be great to learn more about political experiences of people outside the US. :smart:

I'll start: I didn't care much for politics when Clinton was president. My first opinion on politics was formed in 2003, when Bush invaded Iraq. Like most of the world, I protested against the war. That's what ignited my interest in politics and when I started following political news and educating myself on different issues. I noticed a lot of bad apples in both major parties, but the ones on the Republican side seemed a tad more despicable than those who called themselves Democrats. At the time, however, I wasn't as much pro-Democrat as I was anti-Bush. Ended up working for Democrats' campaigns as a canvasser and organizer in 2004 and 2006.

In the 2008 election, I wasn't as much pro-Obama or pro-McCain as I was anti-Palin - I couldn't bear the thought of her being a heartbeat away from the presidency. (A very old heartbeat that survived four bouts with cancer, at that.) Since that election, I've been getting more and more astonished by the inefficiency of the Democrats who had the control of both houses of Congress and the White House. I saw that neither party was great at running things even when it had that type of control. I also realized that neither party would be able to serve my agenda (no capital tax, more comprehensive tax system, higher FDIC limits, abolition of the PDT rule, etc.) and now I think of myself as an independent. I doubt that either party would be able to lure me back into the political game, and I doubt even more that a fringe candidate will be able to get elected and accommodate people like me anytime soon...

[ArtistTyrant]

when i was really young, like...5, i was convinced i was a liberal, because so many people in academia are i guess...and then i read gobs of history, and found out what's happening to the Western World...and i became a racialist, and "far right" basically, though i support many ideas that used to be considered "radically liberal"

[freeeekyyy]

Used to be a strong conservative, I'm now more libertarian. Obviously, the two are compatible in many ways, but there are also some marked differences. I don't think I've really changed so much as matured. Conservatives generally don't follow their ideas to the logical conclusion, libertarians do.

[Silverity]

I was politically impassive until the NDP was tossed out, the freeze on tuition was lifted and then put on our minimum wage. Yuck. Now that it's been a downward spiral with the libs and conservatives I'm more engaged in politics than ever. It's important to me that education and health remain rights and not exclusively for the rich so its my responsibility to vote and be aware of what's going on.

[Blse]

Conservative in High School (born an raised upper middle class - and although I experienced a lot of problems as a kid, I didn't think my family should be pay for other peoples' poor decisions) --> Social Democrat/strong liberal in lower division college courses (I turned to thinking in purely abstract terms and took poli sci at a mostly Marxist university) --> Moderate Democrat (centrist), largely because of a more in-depth understanding of economics, and more value placed on concrete experiences and evidence.

[Antares]

When I was young, I was a moralistic... whatever. I went with my morality, not any political affluence or concept. I became a far left libertarian for a time (on personal issues, not economic), and then it dawned upon me that some far lefties are pretty crazy. This PC business leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Right now, I'm a moderate Libertarian. Moderate in all aspects. I'm not an anarchist or an extreme Libertarian, but enough to classify myself as one. If I were American, I would vote Democrat because personal freedom is just a little more important to me than economic freedom, and the Republican party is a loaded package most of the time (teach ID, pro-life, fundamentalist, etc).

[Hamsta]

I used to be apathetic during high school. Having the news on the radio every hour, parents who turned the only TV set to the news, and having to study it in a class room setting all meant I was desensitized to the whole fanfare.

That changed around the time I turned 19. Guarding a settlement on the border of a hostile entity will do that to you, as you realize that politics really can affect your life, or that of future generations.

I now identify myself as a right leaning centrist, within the Israeli spectrum.

[Nightsun]

I was born fascist, then anarchist and finally somewhere with socialism, you now an good socialism like Sweden or similar country not the east europe socialism.

[Valiyn]

Originally through morality, but when the religion I was born into shattered I became very interested in perspective. So through debating I got where I am now. Didn't matter what political idea I was debating and if I was for or against it, I just sought perspective over all. Still do although I take up an argument for ideas I disagree with alot less now. What always stuck me was how many factors there are in every debate, how much harm you can bring without knowing it by implementing this idea or that. That's what shaped my very libertarian/minimalist views for a confederate level of government. For example, ideally, a state that is as close to totalarian can get without stepping on the people's freedoms should be able to live next to a state that is close to anarchism. I should note the belief people can move between freely within such a confederacy. Let the state governments face the natural selection of the people while the confederate government stays as little more then basic oversight.

Evolution in nature is a beautiful thing, we should learn how we could apply the concepts nature uses to better itself to further our own growth.

[Freedom Geek]

Started as a social liberal type who didn't care about economics that much. Started to care about economics and became a free market guy. I came across some ideas like people should be free to develop biotechnology that I agreed with immediately. Came across some ideas that like the precautionary principle which I disagreed with. Became more extreme, anarcho-capitalist. Became less extreme. Became more sure about certain things that I was apathetic about like funding science/technology.

[jhbowden79]

I started off as a Marxist, and am currently a neo-conservative. I'll be 31 years old tomorrow.

In the 1990s I pretty much took what Bill Clinton was doing for granted, though I grumbled about corporate power, the environment, and other trendy issues. I didn't officially defect from the left until 2005.

Three considerations moved me to the right.

1) Economic issues. Folks like Chomsky and Nader (I voted for Nader in 2000) predicted that Eastern Europe would be dominated by the evil corporate Western imperialists without Soviet beneficence. Reality proved otherwise-- capitalism has been turning millions of proletarians into proprietors when it has been introduced. The growth in places like South Korea, India, the UAE etc is not imaginary, which led me to take marginalist theories a lot more seriously. These doubts were sinking in around 2000-2003.

2) Foreign policy. I opposed the Iraq War in 2003, though I suspected I wasn't hitting for the right team when people were talking about countries having a "right" to sovereignty, as if Iran has a "right" to nuclear weapons. My opposition was based completely on selfish considerations and practical trade-offs-- seemed like we'd be trading a lot of blood and dollars for an end that does not yield dividends for us. And now that we're there, the anti-war people wanted us to leave immediately because of the "justice" of it, as if the fate of real Iraqis does not matter to them, only their own warm and fuzzy feelings about war being evil. I especially hated the romanticizing of Islamic fundamentalists, as if Muslim revolutionaries are freedom fighters, and the average Muslim is just a tool for the imperialists.

3) Social issues. I've moved to the right over the last three years on these. Basically, I got tired of saying BUT in every sentence. I don't support racial quotas, BUT legacy of racism, blah blah blah or I don't support child destruction, BUT we need abortion because of rights, justice, blah blah blah. At some point, I just stopped feeling the need to doublethink. Not liking feticide is a perfectly good reason to put restrictions on it.

So I'd say I'm a hardliner on economic issues, and right-of-center on foreign policy and social issues. While we agree on some stuff, I don't completely trust the religious supremacists here in the United States. Secondly, while war can be the answer in given situations, it is better to try to untangle knots before we resort to getting a knife that cuts it. Economically, I find the neo-classical view models what is wrong with, let us say, education or health care, far better than bureaucratic approaches.

[yoginimama]

I was raised in a Democratic family whose members did not take the time to explain to me what they meant when they said stuff like, "Ronald Reagan has allowed the rich to loot this country." So I was easy pickings for anyone with a smooth political line.

Case in point: In college I read the work of firebreathing right-wing satirist P.J. O'Rourke and thought, "Anybody this funny HAS to have a worldview worth considering."

So I considered it.

And...actually, no. Anybody that funny does NOT have to have a worldview worth considering.

I was pretty bummed about that. I envy those who can manage to be conservatives/right-wingers/libertarians.

It must be awesome to really believe that people on the street deserve to be there.

It must be soothing to be sure that government is really just an encumbrance we don't need, and we'd be better off without (most if not all of) it.

It must be really exciting to imagine that Islamic terrorism, despite coming from "fifth-rate" (Michael Ledeen) countries that we can--and should!--"pick up and throw against the wall" (Ledeen again), is at the same time the most overwhelming oncoming storm of evil since ever and we're on the barricades of Western Civilization in the fight of our lives.

Regrettably, I failed to qualify and remain a "lib."

Only now, I know what my relatives meant with all that stuff they said.

Oh, and P.S....

...countries having a "right" to sovereignty, as if Iran has a "right" to nuclear weapons.

If Iran has no "right" to nuclear weapons--or sovereignty--then, um, neither do we.

[themuzicman]

I became more or less politically aware during the 1980s. I would say that my primary influence in that regard was Ronald Reagan. I was aware for the "religious right", and agreed with them on some issues, but never really liked their approach to politics.

As I learned more about the 1970s and 1980s, I remained essentially fiscally conservative, probably a bit more pragmatic about tax cuts and such.

During the 1990s and 2000s, I've become more suspicious of state power and politicians making grabs for it and money. I wouldn't call myself libertarian, because I disagree with their fundamental view of mankind and their inability to grasp that every person and personality has strengths and weaknesses for which they ought not pay a heavy price for making a mistake.

I think my primary disillusion with the social right came during the Terri Schiavo "crisis", where I was concerned about legal precedent and judicial activism, and was regularly excoriated for being anti-life.

I think I became more coherent in my views from listening to Rush, although I can't say I always agree with him either.

At present, I would say that I am a smaller government conservative looking for a party that will actually think about whether the government (state or federal) should do something before doing it, and then look to create accountability in government outlays, so that we're not creating a culture of dependency.

[jhbowden79]

If Iran has no "right" to nuclear weapons--or sovereignty--then, um, neither do we.You're correct. Rights are imaginary.

As Ash put it in Army of Darkness, the best movie *ever* -- "Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun."

[Doppelbock]

Used to be a strong conservative, I'm now more libertarian. Obviously, the two are compatible in many ways, but there are also some marked differences. I don't think I've really changed so much as matured. Conservatives generally don't follow their ideas to the logical conclusion, libertarians do.

What he said.

[Ytterbium]

I've more or less always been a leftist socialist/socialdemocrat/liberal whatever. It have grown stronger during the years as I see how the deregulations went etc. So unless I get hit really hard in my head in the future I think I'll stay as a socialdemocrat forever.

[yoginimama]

You're correct. Rights are imaginary.

As Ash put it in Army of Darkness, the best movie *ever* -- "Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun."

In an absolute, "Lord of the Flies" sense, you're correct--rights are imaginary, and might does equal right.

However. This is not a road you want either yourself, your country, or your world to go down.

For one simple reason:

You will not always be the guy with the gun.

It is much, much better to create, maintain and uphold a system of international law based on the idea of inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

[Arkeph]

I used to be very libertarian, considering the prevalence of government corruption and freedom as an ideal. Over time, I gradually came to believe that libertarian thought was dominated by anarchistic reasoning (anathema to true libertarianism). On top of that, I began to think that laissez-faire economic policy was an excuse to ignore social ills, rather than remedy them.

[Shauru]

Like someone else mentioned my morality dictated my politics. I've always leaned left because I believed they were serving the greater good. As I look at the too dominant parties in the US i'm not really happy with either more and more.

While I was primarily democratic/liberal I've been leaning a little more libertarian lately. Mostly because I'm staring at some of the taxes I'm paying more closely and realizing it's all quite inefficient. I'm paying social security I'll never see. At the end of the day I think social issues outweigh economic issues. We're people, not numbers. I will not vote for the conservatives in this country ever. Putting your bottom line ahead of your principles shows a lack of humanity. And believing you're the morality enforcement for the world show's a delusional lust for power.

I really hope some party emerges that actually cares about Freedom, socially and economically. I would really like to see some more European political influences as far as economics in the US.

[firebee]

And believing you're the morality enforcement for the world show's a delusional lust for power.

This.

When I was a kid, I was a fairly well dyed-in-the-wool Republican. Then wisdom and experience showed me the potential outcome of such thinking...

Well, actually, the fact that the Republicans are not the same animal that they were back in the 1990s probably has something to do with that; if given the choice, I would love to be able to select the party that includes fiscal responsibility and lack of blithering insanity, but that option is not available at the present time.

[hubcap]

I grew up in an apolitical household. I became politically aware when Jimmy Carter was president and realized like most everyone else what a poor job he was doing. Reagan told us that government is the problem not the solution and did a pretty good job of convincing the voters (including me) that he was right so I figured I was a conservative which by default meant republican. George H.W. Bush was a huge disappointment for a lot reasons so I began questioning being a republican. Clinton offended my sensibilities with his womanizing but times were good with him in the whitehouse and the republicans running Congress and I approved of the fiscal restraint that Gingrich kept crowing about. Then George W. Bush and the republican majority in congress totally screwed the pooch from a conservative perspective and seemed to ignore the Constitutional rights of a bunch of folks so I figured screw all of them and I finally realized that I had actually been a libertarian all along.

I've seen so many corrupt politicians in the past 30 years from both parties that I don't trust any politician from any party to be anything other than self-serving and willing to screw over the American people any time as long as it serves their self-interests.

So, I remain a libertarian.

[firebee]

Clinton offended my sensibilities with his womanizing but times were good with him in the whitehouse and the republicans running Congress and I approved of the fiscal restraint that Gingrich kept crowing about. Then George W. Bush and the republican majority in congress totally screwed the pooch from a conservative perspective and seemed to ignore the Constitutional rights of a bunch of folks so I figured screw all of them and I finally realized that I had actually been a libertarian all along.

This bit pretty much describes my political development as well, except that a) I saw the Clinton sex scandals as a means by which a politician belonging to the "other team" might be discredited and b) I'm not altogether sure that I agree with the ultimate libertarian vision because I think we're so far away from it that we can't envision "how to get there from here", and my most immediate question is "Of the available options, which of these results in a more functional society?"

Given the current state of affairs, my suspicion is that this perspective is going to (paradoxically) point me in the direction of the omg commies for at least the near future.

[Wien1938]

Speaking as a Briton, I began from a Guardian reading Labour perspective but my first breaks with the Left began in my early teens over the former Yugoslavia. I was appalled not just what was happening but outraged by the ineffectiveness of the United Nations.
Then there was Kosovo, which seemed (and still seems) to me a clear cut case for war. But I found myself arguing with idiots like John Pilger who remain beloved on the Left.

The critical break was Iraq where I (unlike so many politically aware students) supported and encouraged war. We were right then to go to war and we remain right. The moral picture was clear cut.
The reaction to the invasion, and then to the occupation, on the Left, radicalised me. I had been reading Nick Cohen and David Aaronovitch for a while, then read Nick's book "What's Left?" which confirmed much of what I had been thinking about. I had also been reading David Horowitz, Little Green Footballs (which has since lost its nerve), the pro-Israel blogs and others to get a picture of what was happening.
I actually never really disliked George W. Bush and have come to regard him as a good man and in crucial respects a good president (from a foreigner's perspective). It is instructive that if all you read and see of a man is a cartoon or a charicature, ask yourself what is being hidden from the reader...

I now consider my left either a neoconservative or a left-wing hawk, though I am now mildly Eurosceptic, pro-free market, though I remain in favour of the welfare safety net and especially the NHS. I am opposed to the United Nations, which I consider to be a corrupt and invalid institution, while favouring a policy of hostility towards the totalitarian regimes in the world.
While I admit to being guided by what I would regard as moral principles, I try to research my views and if these prove faulty, I reexamine and change my views.

[kepstein8888]

Didn't know much or give much of a crap about politics until my freshman year of college, when I had an instructor who opened my eyes in so many ways. I became a liberal/progressive of sorts, and have been more or less so ever since.

So I guess I my political views haven't evolved at all.

I don't want this thread to derail into a shouting match about differing opinions, though, so please stay on topic.

Good luck with that.

[Warrior]

My house was somewhat conservative when I was growing up. When I went to college, I guess you could say I went through the stereotypical rebellious phase. I turned very liberal. For a while I thought it was great - helping other people, sticking up for the "little guy", etc. I became quite involved - student groups on campus, worked with a politcal campaign or two, etc. After a couple years, I started to take a hard look at the whole situation. The more involved I got, the more I realized that we weren't out to help anyone. That was just the face we put on the while thing. It was really just about pulling someone else down. I started to look at conservative political ideas with a lot more open mind and found they were really better at putting into practice what I thought I had been doing all along. I also found they lined up a lot better with my (rediscovered) religious ideals at the time. I've been conservative since that time and I think I continue to become even more so. (I have never felt the need to put neo- or religious- or any other modifier on the conservative name.)

[Melchizedek]

I haven't evolved at all, really. I was largely apolitical until I actually studied it. I then became libertarian, for the most part, and it's pretty much stuck.

[Son of the Sun]

When I was really young (before 8 years old) I was a conformist, I accepted everything what media say. Even American invasion on Serbia. Since 8 years old I started to thinking independly. At first I fall under infuence of fascism and communism, due to influence of some family members. Later (maybe 12) I kicked out fascism, communism evolved into anti-American socialism. But I decide to divide agressive goverment from society - only Bush was evil. And of course France and Russia were good.
And now I am rather socialdemocrat...well, progressive democrat, but I also consider freedom as the most precious value in human life. Anyway free market looks like fine too!

The most important thing I learned about policy, is to respect another people's opinions - maybe they're right, not me!

[TigerL]

I grew up in a fairly apolitical household - parents dissuaded us from being involved in politics. Part of this was because they had lived under one Communist government and we have relatives that lived under another. Their view was that all politicians were dirty - it was just a case of whether or not they were more likely to be on your side on a particular issue at a particular time and how you dealt with that.

We have lost land/ businesses to Communist governments and were lucky to escape with our lives; even so, my mother understands why poor people would be attracted to Communism in its most ideal form. When you have countries with wide disparities in wealth and people are starving, they are going to fight back eventually. (Of note, my Russian-born and bred ex-bf held similar views as my parents.)

Ironically, my brother majored in political science/ US history and has worked on several Democratic campaigns in different states in different capacities since his uni days. My brother is really an idealist at heart and he often kids that I'm turning 'Republican' or 'conservative' on him which isn't really true as I think I'm left of center in the US (prob moderate in other countries) but just not as left as he is.

My views aren't as much shaped by my parents as my experiences growing up poor, female, and a minority and working with the sick and other disadvantaged groups in the past. I believe there is a lot of room to create programs that benefit these groups and yet still require some level of responsibility; however, political partisanship tends to rule the day rather than reliance on whatever research/facts are out there.

I usually don't keep up with politics much except perhaps for healthcare but I try to educate myself on major campaign issues and vote in major elections. A hard task has been finding good non-partisan information on various issues.

[ElstonGunn]

I guess I was an uninterested conservative before I hit the voting age. Mostly apolitical, but with some conservative leanings. I didn't pay much attention, but I was pretty involved in my church at the time, and I think the social conservatism rubbed off on me. I heard enough things about abortion and gays and how horrible the world as a whole is that I think I took them for granted.

After that, I tried to describe myself as something that sounded kind of contradictory, like a "conservative Democrat" or a "liberal Republican." I guess I could just as easily said "centrist," but I liked the vaguely oxymoronic approach more.

By the 2000 election, I was disappointed that Bush would be the next president. Over that eight-year span, I moved further left. I read about different political ideas, and paid more attention to political issues. The more I thought about it, the further to the left I went. I wouldn't call myself a Democrat because by some standards, the Democrats are a center-right party (also, I have a spine, and apparently that's incompatible with the party platform).

By now, I'd be most comfortable labeling myself as a democratic socialist. I'm not sure where I stand on the issue of the state, but I think I'm starting to drift towards non-state socialism on a lot of issues.

[Jason]

I've come to describe myself as a Declarationist and have been mostly conservative all of my political life. I can't say that my parents (both of whom are conservatives) had much of a political impression on me inasmuch as they never really pressed their politics on me, though I'm sure I absorbed some of their opinions when I was younger.

Years ago I dabbled briefly (for about a week) with the idea of becoming an atheist before realizing I didn't have the conviction not to believe in a higher power. I'm not a religious person, but I'm not hostile toward it, either. In fact, some of my favorite music comes from the Sacred Harp hymnal.

These days, I enjoy studying political philosophy, because although I remain fairly attached to my own beliefs, I've come to appreciate the challenge posed by different opinions.

[Theaetetus]

Here's my history:

Up until about age 11, I believed everything that my mother said about politics. She believed everything that the news said. Around age 12 I started realizing that her political views changed depending on the television channel that she watched. I found this sad and hilarious. Eventually, I transitioned into "I don't care what you do as long as it doesn't effect me in any negative way. I'll admit that I know jack squat about economic policy, so I leave that to more competent folks until I get around to studying it. I tend to apply my own conservatism with money, though. Pay for everything in cash, up front. Don't buy toys that you can't afford.

[daydreamer]

i'm from a conservative area, and a very christian-dominated area, but i left most of that behind. personally i've always tried to be open-minded, but not all-embracing - so after i found a satisfying philosophy, most everything else follows from that. it continues to evolve as i'm aware of more information, but i can't really say if it's right or left, conservative or liberal, etc. - it is an on-going critical process; analytical, open, and changing.

[eagleseven]

Was raised in a conservative Christian household, didn't quite understand it. As I've gotten older, I've shed the "Christian" part, discovered Barry Goldwater, and am now radically libertarian.

Been slowly converting my family, ever since!