The author attempts at making sense of origin and development of liberal and socialist political paradigms on the basis of rationalist worldview platform. Rationalist worldview paradigm succeeded idealistic (or theological) one, marking mankind’s coming-of-age and its transition to new stature – independence. Social scientific paradigm along with social and humanitarian science disciplines as well as a number of researches and scientists emerged on the basis of rationalistic paradigm. Having revised heritage of the past they developed a number of ideas focused on transforming orthodox society and government into qualitatively new phenomena.

Finally most of ideas were grouped into two basic doctrines, they were liberalism and socialism. New social classes perceived them as their own political paradigms the former was adopted by bourgeoisie, the latter – by proletariat. The process of new ideas adoption was rather sophisticated and assisted by intellectuals. It was put into political practice through specialized institutions, i.e. political parties and party organizers. Supporters of basic paradigms formed two rival camps forcing most of the population to side one or the other of the camps.

Later political history showed struggle of these two camps through intergovernmental opposition and competition. It resulted in three world wars – two being “hot” and one “cold”. But it was not the end of paradigm rivalry: the second decade of the XXI century is likely to have witnessed the beginning of the second cold war.