Last night, I'm eating dinner at a truck stop in NW Montana.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

42. I would add that the foundations of liberalism / conservatism are the same

(This is in American context and gets weaker as an analysis when one considers that 50% of people are less intelligent than the median.)

Both groups are founded on Love of Family, Love of State & Country, and the Necessity for Justice.
Both groups, not debased deplorable versions, both groups also have empathy.

People in both groups may add Love of God as they wish, of course, but that love binds the religious person and there must be no binding of people outside of that religion.

Where the two groups diverge is at the application of public funds to help people. Liberals more in favour than Conservatives of it, but both groups want some amount of help to flow from government revenues (taxes).

The divergence is based on moralism. Conservatives think that people who get stuff for free don't value it and strive less. Liberals think that it is rather immoral to not give people stuff that would help them, if it can be afforded.

The divergence can mostly be healed by convincing most people of the fact that helping some helps all. This includes things like infrastructure and protecting "The Commons" (the environment ).

I say that a nation / country / civilization is ideally judged by the level of its lowest classes and not by the splendour of its highest classes.