Liberalism

"Liberalism (from the Latin liberalis, "of freedom"[1]) is the belief in the importance of liberty and equality.[2][3] Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but most liberals support such fundamental ideas as constitutions, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights, capitalism, free trade, and the separation of church and state. These ideas are widely accepted, even by political groups that do not openly profess a liberal ideological orientation."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism

Notice "capitalism" and "free trade" in there.

Conservatism

"Conservatism (Latin: conservare, "to preserve")[1] is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and opposes rapid change in society."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservatism

So liberalism and conservatism are natural allies for the elite ruling class, in that where liberalism rapidly changes things, conservatism is there to preserve the status quo of the ruling class, and where conservatism stagnates, liberalism radically changes things for the benefit of the ruling class and at the expense of the lower classes.

Liberalism and conservatism are both ruling class political philosophies.