Liberal

Liberalism is a political philosophy or worldview founded on ideas of liberty and equality. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but they generally support civil rights, democracy, secularism, gender equality, racial equality, internationalism, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.

History

Liberalism became a distinct movement in the Age of Enlightenment, when it became popular among Western philosophers and economists. Liberalism sought to replace the norms of hereditary privilege, state religion, absolute monarchy, and the Divine Right of Kings with representative democracy and the rule of law.

Types of Liberalism

Classical Liberalism

Classical liberalism is a political ideology and a branch of liberalism which advocates civil liberties under the rule of law with an emphasis on economic freedom.

Social Liberalism

Social liberalism is a political ideology that believes individual liberty requires a level of social justice. Like classical liberalism, social liberalism endorses a market economy and the expansion of civil and political rights and liberties, but differs in that it believes the legitimate role of the government includes addressing economic and social issues such as poverty, health care and education.

Liberalism by country

Liberalism is a dominant political ideology in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and many European countries. In each of these countries, the term 'liberal' may have different connotations and the ideological spectrum may vary.

Criticism

Criticism of liberalism includes a wide variety of views, including those of conservative, socialist, and nationalist viewpoints. Some critics believe that liberal policies are too individualistic and lack a sense of community, while others argue that they are too accommodating to large corporations and the wealthy.

See also

• Conservatism
• Libertarianism
• Socialism