Democrats are generally considered liberal, while Republicans are seen as conservative.

The Democratic Party typically supports a larger government role in economic issues, backing regulations and social welfare programs.

The Republicans, however, typically want a smaller government that is less involved in the economy.

This contrary view on the size of government is reflected in their positions on taxes—Democrats favor a progressive tax to finance the government’s expanded role, while Republicans support lower taxes for all. However, Republicans do support a large budget for the military, and they often aggressively pursue U.S. national security interests, even if that means acting unilaterally. Democrats, however, prefer multilateralism.

On social issues, Democrats seek greater freedoms, while Republicans follow more traditional values, supporting government intervention in such matters. For example, Democrats generally back abortion rights, while Republicans don’t. In terms of geography, Democrats typically dominate in large cities, while Republicans are especially popular in rural areas.