Republicans are considered on the "right" end of the political spectrum while Democrats are on the "left." The far right generally is pro-religion, anti-bureaucracy, pro-military, pro-business and pro-personal responsibility.
Republicans, are usually considered conservative (fiscally as well as socially), pro-business and against regulations and bureaucracy. They see "big government" as wasteful and an obstacle to getting things done. Their approach is Darwinian capitalism in that strong business should survive in a free market rather than the government influencing—through regulation—who wins or loses in business.
Democrats are more liberal. They tend to favor an active role for government in society and believe that such involvement can improve the quality of people’s lives and help achieve the larger goals of opportunity and equality. On the other hand, Republicans tend to favor a limited role for government in society.
For example, Democrats would favor environmental regulations and anti-discrimination laws for employment. Republicans would consider such regulations harmful to business and job growth because most laws have unintended consequences.