The ideals and makeup of liberals and conservatives are sometimes radically different, and yet these same beliefs work together to constitute the basic framework of American political thought. They both have the same goals of prosperity and yet they have opposing means to achieve them. Ideologically, they are at odds with the size of government and the role it plays. Some want a big government that provides for the needs of the people, while others choose a small government that does not interfere with people's lives. As you might expect, liberals tend to vote for certain issues that conservatives will disagree with and vice versa. Of course, the questions are not random: each side will vote for or against particular types of questions. Demographically, it is possible to predict, to some extent, which school of thought a person belongs to based on their social status, ethnicity, or even level of education; however, it is more difficult to do this accurately using these factors. Each faction, with its own views, constitutes much of modern political thought in America. The main ideological argument that separates liberals and conservatives is the role government plays in people's lives. Generally, liberals believe that the purpose of government's existence is to serve the people by meeting their needs. “Dworkin, for example, asserts that justice is the essential motive of liberalism and that the duty of the state is to ensure fair and equitable opportunity for all. flourish in a civil society” (Wiggins 2). Naturally, the government must be huge to provide for the masses. Conservatives, on the other hand, are moving away from extensive government, partly because of Britain's despised centralized governments...... middle of paper ... er, government that does more to the people, while conservatives want a smaller government that keeps its own affairs in mind. On these issues, liberals will vote to obtain more freedoms and expand existing ones, while liberals will vote mainly to reduce taxes and reduce public spending. Additionally, demographics have a lasting impact on which side they identify with. Although the manner of accomplishing the tasks differs, the steps to complete the duty may be radically different. Works Cited Saad, Lydia. “United States Political Affiliation Demonstration Charts,” Gallop Polling Today. March 15, 2011 p. 27 - 31Wiggins, Nelson. Liberals and Conservatives in the Contemporary United States: A Study in Refractive Political Dynamics. Boston: Harvard Press, 2011 Wilson, James Q., and John J. DiIulio. American government. Boston: Houghton Mifflin College Division, 2005. Print.