Answer this- why would any individual choose to defy popular sentiments and instead suggest something unpopular? Answer this as well- why would any leader appease the religious, caste, race or sect minority when s/he knows the numbers are stacked in the favour of majority?
Liberals, indeed, risk a lot. When they call for equal rights for all humans, they risk earning the wrath of the elite class. When they call for laws and policy actions that can protect the environment and wildlife from insatiable greed for resources, they risk antagonizing capitalists and other stakeholders. When they call for prioritizing socio-economic wellbeing of individuals over beliefs and customs, they risk upsetting the clergy and the conservative.
But liberals love taking risks. And it is for this love of theirs that they are usually hated. But consider the above statements and notice whether the liberal seeks mere personal gain or inclusive development? By rallying for equal rights to all women, liberals brought universal franchise to most parts of the world. By stressing on the most fundamental principle of justice – ‘rule of law’ – liberals gave the world first-generation politicians, activists and leaders. By seeking equal opportunities of growth for all individuals, liberals fueled the rise of first-generation corporate leaders and capitalists. By placing peace and equity over bullying, liberals gave the hitherto underdeveloped countries after WW2 a chance to thrive.
Hating liberals is, at the same time, an easy thing. This hatred stems from the conservative roots of human life where faith, caste, race and colour hold precedence over relatively more meaningful things. But it is this misplaced priority that can ultimately lead to troubles that adversely impact everything- economy, social harmony, innovation, justice.
We tend to forget, deliberately or accidentally, that all progresses of today, from tech revolution to a competitive market that has globalization at its core, have roots in liberalism.
Sadly however, from times infinite, it has always been easy to hate and propagate hatred against liberals. Conservatives, who tend to be more popular than liberals, have a history of inciting the public sentiment against the latter. But the same public needs to recall that had it not been the Renaissance period of the 15th and 16th centuries or the Reformation movement in the 16th century Europe, the West as we know it today- more socio-economically developed than the rest- would have been something else. And liberals, not conservatives or orthodox, were the primary driving force behind all these defining movements.
Hating liberals can be a convenient option but not the most constructive. Think, read past developments, think again, juxtapose them with the present settings and then arrive at a more rational conclusion. Falling for the popular narrative may be detrimental, re-consider your stance.
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