It's often claimed that the difference between liberals (or progressives) and conservatives is that liberals tend to favor civil liberties (or personal freedom) but not economic liberty (or economic freedom) while conservatives tend to favor economic liberty but not civil liberties. But, as you say, there is no clear distinction between civil and economic liberty.
Here's an argument I've used in the past to make that point: It's often claimed that those who support the Bill of Rights, which protects civil liberties, are civil libertarians, while those who support the ability to produce, distribute, and consume goods and services without government interference are economic libertarians. Consider the production, distribution, and consumption of marijuana and handguns. Liberals are apt to oppose laws that prohibit marijuana but favor laws that prohibit handguns, whereas conservatives are more likely to take the reverse position. Which ideology is civil libertarian and economic authoritarian and which is civil authoritarian and economic libertarian? The freedom to possess and use either could be regarded as a civil liberty, but both marijuana and handguns are economic goods. The 2nd Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms, but nowhere does the Bill of Rights explicitly protect the right to possess and use marijuana (that right is only implied by the 9th Amendment and, to a lesser extent, the 10th).
It's often claimed that the difference between liberals (or progressives) and conservatives is that liberals tend to favor civil liberties (or personal freedom) but not economic liberty (or economic freedom) while conservatives tend to favor economic liberty but not civil liberties. But, as you say, there is no clear distinction between civil and economic liberty.
Here's an argument I've used in the past to make that point: It's often claimed that those who support the Bill of Rights, which protects civil liberties, are civil libertarians, while those who support the ability to produce, distribute, and consume goods and services without government interference are economic libertarians. Consider the production, distribution, and consumption of marijuana and handguns. Liberals are apt to oppose laws that prohibit marijuana but favor laws that prohibit handguns, whereas conservatives are more likely to take the reverse position. Which ideology is civil libertarian and economic authoritarian and which is civil authoritarian and economic libertarian? The freedom to possess and use either could be regarded as a civil liberty, but both marijuana and handguns are economic goods. The 2nd Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms, but nowhere does the Bill of Rights explicitly protect the right to possess and use marijuana (that right is only implied by the 9th Amendment and, to a lesser extent, the 10th).
Thank you. It's good to see that I'm not alone. :)