Liberals and conservatives have very different beliefs and mindsets and they basically operate on different ends of a spectrum.
Liberals believe that the the poor and less fortunate who can't help themselves should be helped by the government and society at large. They believe that the government should cater to the needs of such people and the society as a whole should also be a part of this. Liberals believe that tax should be progressive and as such, the rich should pay a whole lot more than the poor do because according to them, the society makes it easier for people who are well to to do to remain like that but the case is not the same for people who aren't.
Conservatives on the other hand are quite different. They believe that the government should only provide basic needs for everyone, nothing more and nothing less. They are of the opinion that people should rely on themselves for everything and not depend on the government. Conservatives are of the opinion that the government should at best passively help the poor and let them build themselves up from there.
Liberals and conservatives are like fire and water, their belief systems couldn't be any more different.