Would you classify Abraham Lincoln as a Liberal or Conservative?

[ThePleasureofflesh]

@ Bash

Republican is a party label. Nothing more. I'm asking what ideology would you classify him as.

 

[Don'tFeartheReaper]

Today's labels mean nothing in the context of then. Which he was in an odd spot. Barely winning re-election. Considered a dictator and tyrant by many on both sides. Then he wins war and ends up martyred. His job done. He became beloved by many on both sides. So, pick something more timely and less, mmmmmm paradoxical I guess I want to say?

A Great President. Perhaps THE greatest. If any one President's shadow reaches across time to loom over a weak President Obama? It'd be Lincoln. Who triumphed over all adversity. Where Obama seems to shrink.

 

[LooksLegit]

Moderate. One of the greatest idealists of all time, but he was careful and precise about his actions to achieve his goals.

P.S. If it means anything, he was apart of the modern day Republican Party, but he only choose it because it was the only party that'd nominate him lol

 

[WeCeFelcher]

Abraham Lincolm was a Republican.

1. He signed the first federal income tax legislation
2. Suspended the writ of Habeas Corpus, declared martial law, imprisoned thousands of civilians including political opponents and newspaper editors and owners
3. Asserted Doctrine of Perpetual Union to deny rights of Several States to secede
4. Shut down newspapers
5. Implemented system of military conscription

 

[Dingfriesaredonee]

that really isn't a fair question.

the standards by witch we measure the 2 have changed since 1863.

 

[EasterBunny1]

More liberal then conservative. At least on the social issues of his day.


Interestingly enough, the Republican party, which he really brought forth as a viable party once he was elected and took office in 1847, had been the more liberal party up until the late 1950's to mid 1960's when the two major party's begun massively reversing themselves. Democrats then became the liberals and Republicans became the conservatives. At least statically speaking based on voting records, social positions, and fiscal policies.

 

[Santiago]

Liberal by far lol. He may have founded the republican party, but the two parties flip-flopped in ideals and eventually became the two parties we know today.

 

[chuck]

A conservative Republican.

 

[troy]

He'd be liberal by today's standards. Republicans don't realize that the repubs used to be the liberal party and dems conservative.

 

[blackjack432001]

neither. good 'ol abe was very pro-usa and the holding of the states together (by whatever means it took) but was against most of the status quo. he knew he got to the presidency by the political machine working at the time and knew that the people in washington wondered what the hell he was about but abe knew, most of all, himself. in all liklihood, a man like lincoln would never have been elected today but then he liked campaigning and speaking to the public. his methods weren't what others used but then he wasn't like the 'others'. he was a story-teller and to get his point across, he either told a real tale or made one up . either way, it was effective.

want to know the real lincoln, read the gettysbug address but i mean really read it; absorb each line and word. what he believed in, the ways he'd handle post-civil war america, the former slaves' admission into american life, the whole american ball of wax is there in his short 20 minute speech and probably got him shot. i know jon wilkes booth shot lincoln but i can't believe it wasn't backed by not only those in the south but by big $$$ in the north. lincoln had his own plans for recovery and not to punish the south for losing was a main point. if allowed to live and carry it out, as i'm sure he would've been re-elected, liuncoln was too much of an uncontrolled loose cannon and had to go. sad ending as i'm sure things would've been so much sharper and evenly handled than it was. jiim crow laws? not likely! carpetbaggers? no again. the anger held in the north would not have been allowed south of the mason-dixon line which brought out the anger south of the mason-dixon line. but we'll never know since JWB, the bastard, carried out the assassination of mr. lincoln. he shot not just a president but a father, a son, a husband - a man or worth. sad!

 

[Bash]

Technically, he was a republican.

By today's standards, he'd be a liberal.