What Comes First?

Our political philosophies are often derived from where our focus lies:  on the individual or on the community.   What comes first in our minds?  Do we see ourselves first as independent actors operating in the world, or do we think first of being a part of the world (community)? 

Although everyone is their own person, and has their own unique personality, thoughts, and beliefs, we are all part of a community.  That community can be our family, our neighborhood, our church, our town, our country, even our world.  A community is defined here, as a body of people who share common interests.

Political conservatives typically see the individual as the one who makes things happen, or should make things happen.  Conservatives tend to trust the individual more than the community (government). Conservatives believe that individuals are smarter with respect to their own interest than the collective wisdom of the community (government).

Political liberals view individuals (first and foremost) as part of a community (government) and it is that community that makes things happen.  Liberals view the community (government), which individuals create together, as the power that can move us forward and provide for the needs of all individuals.

Conservatives suggest that if you leave individuals to themselves, let them be responsible for themselves, they will work things out for the betterment of the community.  Liberals think that the community should assist individuals to achieve greater things and that individuals tend to act in their own self-interest to the detriment of the community.

I am aware that the above definitions of political conservative and liberal viewpoints are simplistic, but I think they help us think about the question “What comes first?”  Is it the individual or is it the community?  I could be all wet, but this morning it seems to me that the view we hold on these two words determines our political philosophy.