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Learn the meaning of liberal as an adjective and a noun in different contexts, such as society, politics, and generosity. See synonyms, antonyms, and related words for liberal.
- English (US)
LIBERAL meaning: 1. respecting and allowing many different...
- Znaczenie Liberal, Definicja W Cambridge English Dictionary
LIBERAL definicja: 1. respecting and allowing many different...
- Liberalism
LIBERALISM definition: 1. an attitude of respecting and...
- English (US)
Learn how the word liberal evolved from a Latin term for freedom to a political label in the US. Explore the different senses and uses of liberal in arts, education, politics, and culture.
Learn the various meanings and uses of the word liberal, from adjective to noun, in politics, philosophy, arts, and more. See synonyms, examples, and related phrases for liberal.
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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
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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 and economic doctrine that emphasizes individual autonomy, equality of opportunity, and the protection of individual rights. Learn about the origins, variations, and challenges of liberalism from the 17th century to the present.
Liberal can be an adjective meaning favorable to progress, reform, or individual freedom, or a noun meaning a person or party with such views. Learn more about the word history, origin, and usage of liberal from Dictionary.com.
Learn the various meanings and uses of the word liberal in British and American English. Find synonyms, pronunciation, examples, and related terms for liberal.
A liberal is someone on the left wing of politics — the opposite of a conservative. Also, a liberal attitude toward anything means more tolerance for change.
