Difference Between Moderate and Radical

The key difference between moderate and radical is that a moderate is someone who holds moderate views and does not believe in extreme approaches whereas a radical believes and supports extreme views, supporting complete social and political reforms.

Moderate and radical are two words with a clear difference between them mainly due to their stance in relation to a particular belief or act. For instance, in politics and religion, we find people who have radical ideas in opposition to others who have more moderate ideas.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. Who is a Moderate
3. Who is a Radical
4. Side by Side Comparison – Moderate vs Radical in Tabular Form
5. Summary

Who is a Moderate?

A moderate is someone who has moderate views. Even though he has a direct objective or goal he needs to achieve, a moderate has a reasonable way of achieving it. It does not include taking extreme measures and violence. A moderate would protest and try to come up with a plan so that he is heard.

Within the political and social arena, a moderate would bring about social or political reforms that include gradual changes that do not lead to anarchy. Also, a moderate respects the social order of the society of which he is a part of. This is why he always makes an attempt to work within this system, rather than to uproot the prevailing social hierarchy completely.

Who is a Radical?

Unlike a moderate who holds moderate views, a radical holds extreme beliefs. Just as a moderate, a radical also has a clear goal, but the manner in which he achieves it can be different to a moderate. This is mainly because a radical is always prepared for extreme measures.

The prevailing social and legal hierarchies have no authority over radicals. They do not respect the prevailing hierarchy and wish to achieve their goal even through anarchy. Radicals are indifferent to the values, norms and traditional beliefs of the society. They believe in bringing about a radical change.

In politics and also in extreme social reforms, this radical behavior can be seen clearly. The radicals are so focused on bringing about a change that they become blind to the social problems that might arise such as in the case of anarchy or even anomie (a state of normlessness). In most freedom struggles, this situation occurs. The radicals are extremely focused on uprooting the system that they ignore the hierarchy of the society in the aftermath..

Most radicals tend to use violence as a means of achieving their goal. This is where the morality of the radicals begins to come into question. Even though the goal is pure, the manner in which they achieve it may not be moral, proving the fact that radicals are willing to employ extreme measures.

What is the Difference Between Moderate and Radical?

A moderate is someone who holds moderate views whereas a radical believes and supports extreme ideals. Furthermore, a radical supports complete social and political reforms, unlike a moderate. Also, a moderate does not have extreme ideals while a radical has extreme ideals. This is the key difference between moderate and radical. Moreover, a moderate supports gradual changes, but a radical does not. Likewise, a radical supports complete reforms even through revolutionary steps, whereas a moderate does not. Most importantly, radicals use violence, whereas moderates do not. Furthermore, although radicals use extreme measures, moderates do not use such measures.

The below infographic presents the difference between moderate and radical in tabular form.

Summary – Moderate vs Radical

The key difference between moderate and radical is their stance in relation to a particular belief or act. A moderate does not have extreme ideals and supports gradual changes whereas a radical have extreme ideals and supports complete reforms, even revolutionary steps.

Images Courtesy:

1.”4231225160″ by Omarukai (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2.Venezuelan protester wearing a Guy Fawkes Mask”By Carlos E. Díaz – (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia