It only makes sense, coming out of the age of imperialism; where the state wanted it's hand (both financially and morally) up in everybodies business that it would be the social liberals who would be pushing for less powerful, less centralized government, and the nationalists trying to hold on to it.
Whereas now in the age of constitutional government (wherein most civilized nations are based upon a universal decree of human rights) the social conservatives are now the ones who want to decentralize the government's power, so that they are free to be dicks.
EDIT: Also corporate monopolists have lost sight of the fact that the monetary system by which they conduct business so efficiently and reap the rewards from is in itself a public institution that only works via the cooperation of the general populace. i.e. the fact that I don't just pull some pasty-skinny yuppie out of his Mercedes Benz and beat him to death and drive away while the police look the other way because I promised them half of the profits is what makes the car they sell worth 60 grand.