Conservatives and Liberals often resort to cartoon images of the opposing ideology, relying on broadly defined caricatures to illustrate their opposition. To help us get past these stereotypes, this short, punchy book explains the two dominant political ideologies in America today, providing a thorough and fair analysis of each as well as insight into their respective branches.

Morgan Marietta is Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Georgia.

Introduction: Too Common and Too Rare 1. An Ideology Tree Part I Conservatism 2. Conservatism: Premise Foundations 3. The Core Value of Conservatism: Ordered Liberty 4. The Central Question of Conservatism: The Glue Problem 5. Conservatism: Branches Part II Liberalism 6. Liberalism: Premise Foundations 7. The Core Value of Liberalism: Social Justice 8. The Central Question of Liberalism: The Oppression Problem 9. Liberalism: Branches Part III Comparisons & Controversies 10. Emotions & Nightmares 11. Value Divides 12. Liberty & Equality: Consensus Values With Conflictual Meanings 13. Issue Positions and Mutual Misunderstandings: Explaining Conservative and Liberal Policies 14. The Origins of Contemporary Ideology: Explaining Neocons Versus Paleocons & Multiculturalists Versus Liberals Conclusion: Conservatism, Liberalism, and American Democracy