A conservative is a person who largely believes in status quo or in slow ordered change .He believes that traditions and customs which have developed over long time are best guides to a better society .As such he wants to live in a society where family,community and religious life hold sway .Conservatives believe that traditional hierarchies like caste and gender and traditional authority figures like Fathers,husbands ,Gurus ,Wealthy ,Old Political elites should be followed and respected .Conservatives often support national unity and strong armies .
A conservative is not very optimistic about human nature or in the view that humans can change society for the better .He views radical change as disruptive ,anarchic ,chaotic and leaving people worse off .
In economic terms conseravtives support laissez fairre policies and are against state regulations and welfare .
Normally religious ,elderly,rural and women are more conservative .Parties like Republicans in USA,Conservatives in UK,BJP in India can be called Conservative parties
Radicals on the other hand wants to change the world quickly.They believe in utopias and are inherently optimistic of human capacity to change the world for better .They are extremely disatisfied with this world and want to shape it according to their beliefs
Radicals are of two types—Left radicals like Marxists,Feminists etc who see traditional class ,caste and gender system as inherently exploitative and as such want to end or radically alter them .They speak the language of rights and equality .In economic policy left radicals support state regulations,welfare and higher taxes
Right Radicals like Al Qaeda,Christian fundamemtalists ,Hindutva fringe ,Khalistanis see the permissiveness,materialism and equality of modern society with great suspicion and want to reshape this world to the often scriptural ideas of purity where religious values and elites guide society and traditional hierarchies of class,religion and caste are restored .Right radicals differ in their support for economic policies ranging from laissez fairre (Christian),Protectionism (Hindutva) to welfare state (islamic).
Radicals of both left and right variety often supports the use of violence to achieve their ends .Mostly youngsters ,university educated,lower midle class are radicals in their orientation.