[OKSooner]

For example, define "Liberalism" in the modern context, as it's practiced in our time, and compare it to the "classical" definition as intended by Jefferson, et al.

The same discussion is invited for the term "Conservatism", in the original meaning and modern usage.

"Vanity fee paid."

[Red Badger]

Conservative: Leave us alone!

Liberal: NO!.........................................

[PIF]

Summing up so far:
Conservative: Leave us alone!
Liberal: NO!.
Libertarian = Leave ME alone.

[jdsteel]

You need to greatly narrow the scope of your question. I’d suggest making it pertain to usage in the USA only, and possibly to current use only.

With that in mind, politically speaking, a Conservative is one who believes the US Constitution is a legal document that needs to be followed. A liberal is one who has little to no understanding nor respect for the Constitution, and whose goal is to move the US away from a Constitutional Representative Republic and toward some form of Marxism.

[AndyTheBear]

It is too late for a single conventional definition of "liberal". The word has been ruined by meaning something very different at different times.

Rather I would chuck the whole idea that there is a dimension with "liberal" on one side and "conservative" on the other. Or even "left" on one side and "right" on the other.

The reality is closer to there is whatever is popular with the intellectuals of society, which we can call Left. This is "intellectuals" in the sense that Thomas Sowell defines them, that is people whose entire end product of their labors is ideas. Not ideas put to action, like engineers, doctors, or software developers etc. But simply ideas NOT put into practice.

These professional "intellectuals" are not judged by the success of their ideas, but by how impressed other intellectuals and those that follow intellectuals and try to gain prestige by doing so.

The ideas that become popular are not plain common sense ones, but ones that excite passions about progress over traditions and such that have held people back. Essentially the snake oil of political ideas that promise the sky, but are not realistic and deliver only disaster when implemented.

This core of intellectual popular ideas is roughly what is the "Left". What people call the "Right" is not really a particular core of ideas. It is the rest of people who do not buy the ridiculous snake oil and argue about ideas in a realistic way. Who are not part of the brain-dead hive mind. It includes very diverse viewpoints, including materialist hedonists and orthodox Christians and a few nutty conspiracy theorists. It really is not a particular ideology.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Liberalism in the classic sense draws upon and inculcates the concept that a free individual may draw from all of human experience to live a life not of ease, but of full satisfaction as a human being.

Liberalism in the current sense is a perversion of all of the above, seeking instead to nullify individual pursuits in the interest of a collective morass.

Conservatism is a more recent concept. It does not suffer a harsh duality, but its varying definitions tend toward the preservation of healthy institutions and traditions whether individual or corporate in nature.

[SkyDancer]

Conservatives are just that - conservative; liberals have to define themselves since they don’t know what they really are. They categorize themselves into: progressive, moderate, activists, centrists, etc.

[Mariner]

Conservatism without Nationalism is like Faith without works.

Neoconservatives purged all America First from the Republican party starting in 1988.

Trump was a paleoconservative...nearly by the book.

So, when discussing “conservative”, distinction between paleo and neo is essential.

[Uncle Miltie]

Less or more government.

[HereInTheHeartland]

Conservatives .
Humans have individual dignity and the ability to think for theirselves and make decisions for theirselves .
We will make individual decisions to better our lives and will live with our decisions for better or worse .
Liberals . People are not sophisticated enough to make their own decisions . They need a strong government presence to be taken care of and protected from their own ignorance .

[the OlLine Rebel]

There is no “classical” version.

“Conservative” is completely a relative term. Relative to what is normal, either in time or place.

Conservatives of the US today want to CONSERVE what makes the USA the USA.

Liberal simply means NOT conservative. Upsetting the order.

[Basket_of_Deplorables]

Control Freaks (and their fearful enablers)
V
Freedom Lovers

All else is shiney wrappers.

Note: plenty of Control Freaks on both sides of “liberals” and “conservatives.” Always ask, “Will this (action or person) increase or decrease personal freedom?”

(Note: Control Freaks are the leaders, but fearful people make up 95% of thier base. I count the “You’ll burn in hell!” people on the Control Freak side. Flame (get it?) away.)