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- DictionaryLib·er·al/ˈlib(ə)rəl/
adjective
- 1. willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas: "they have more liberal views toward marriage and divorce than some people"
- 2. relating to or denoting a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise: "a liberal democratic state"
noun
- 1. a supporter of policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare. "are we dealing with a polarization between liberals and conservatives?"
- 2. a supporter of a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise: "classical liberals emphasized the right of the individual to make decisions, even if the results dismayed their neighbors or injured themselves"
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What is a liberal political party?
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What does liberalism mean?
Liberal is an adjective that means of, relating to, or based on the liberal arts, generosity, or open-mindedness. It can also be a noun that means a person who is liberal in politics or a member of a political party. See synonyms, examples, etymology, and history of liberal.
Learn how the word liberal has evolved from a Latin term for "free" to a political label with various connotations. Explore the etymology, usage, and examples of liberal in different contexts and cultures.
Liberal is an adjective that means favorable to progress or reform, especially in political or religious affairs. It can also mean open-minded, generous, or tolerant. See synonyms, origin, and usage examples of liberal on Dictionary.com.
LIBERAL meaning: 1. respecting and allowing many different types of beliefs or behaviour: 2. believing in or…. Learn more.
- Overview
- General characteristics
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Liberalism is a political and economic doctrine that emphasizes individual autonomy, equality of opportunity, and the protection of individual rights (primarily to life, liberty, and property), originally against the state and later against both the state and private economic actors, including businesses.
Who were the intellectual founders of liberalism?
The intellectual founders of liberalism were the English philosopher John Locke (1632–1704), who developed a theory of political authority based on natural individual rights and the consent of the governed, and the Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith (1723–90), who argued that societies prosper when individuals are free to pursue their self-interest within an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and competitive markets, controlled neither by the state nor by private monopolies.
John Locke
Learn more about John Locke.
Adam Smith
Liberalism is derived from two related features of Western culture. The first is the West’s preoccupation with individuality, as compared to the emphasis in other civilizations on status, caste, and tradition. Throughout much of history, individuals have been submerged in and subordinate to their clan, tribe, ethnic group, or kingdom. Liberalism is the culmination of developments in Western society that produced a sense of the importance of human individuality, a liberation of the individual from complete subservience to the group, and a relaxation of the tight hold of custom, law, and authority. In this respect, liberalism stands for the emancipation of the individual. See also individualism.
Liberalism also derives from the practice of adversariality, or adversariness, in European political and economic life, a process in which institutionalized competition—such as the competition between different political parties in electoral contests, between prosecution and defense in adversary procedure, or between different producers in a market economy (see monopoly and competition)—generates a dynamic social order. Adversarial systems have always been precarious, however, and it took a long time for the belief in adversariality to emerge from the more traditional view, traceable at least to Plato, that the state should be an organic structure, like a beehive, in which the different social classes cooperate by performing distinct yet complementary roles. The belief that competition is an essential part of a political system and that good government requires a vigorous opposition was still considered strange in most European countries in the early 19th century.
Underlying the liberal belief in adversariality is the conviction that human beings are essentially rational creatures capable of settling their political disputes through dialogue and compromise. This aspect of liberalism became particularly prominent in 20th-century projects aimed at eliminating war and resolving disagreements between states through organizations such as the League of Nations, the United Nations, and the International Court of Justice (World Court).
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Liberalism has a close but sometimes uneasy relationship with democracy. At the centre of democratic doctrine is the belief that governments derive their authority from popular election; liberalism, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with the scope of governmental activity. Liberals often have been wary of democracy, then, because of fears that it might generate a tyranny by the majority. One might briskly say, therefore, that democracy looks after majorities and liberalism after unpopular minorities.
Liberalism is a political doctrine that values individual freedom and seeks to protect and promote it through government. Learn about the origins, variations, and challenges of liberalism from the 17th century to the present.
Learn the various meanings and uses of the word liberal as an adjective, a noun, and a political party. Find out how to distinguish liberal from conservative, liberal arts, and Liberal Democrat.
Learn the meaning, pronunciation and usage of the adjective liberal, which can describe attitudes, politics, policies, generosity and education. Find out the difference between liberal and conservative, and see synonyms and collocations.
