liberalism
/ˈlɪ.b(ə.)ɹə.lɪz.əm/ noun
Forms liberalisms
- noun The quality of being liberal.
- noun (politics) Any political movement founded on the autonomy and personal freedom of the individual, progress and reform, and government by law with the consent of the governed.
- noun (economics) An economic ideology in favour of laissez faire and the free market (related to economic liberalism).
- noun (international relations) A school of international relations that emphasises cooperation (such as trade) between polities, as an alternative to power politics, and the geopolitically transformative role of democratisation, as opposed to inherent structural material factors.
Etymology
Circa 1819, from French libéralisme circa 1818. Equivalent to liberal + -ism.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Liberal principles; the principles and methods of the liberals in politics or religion; specifically, the principles of the Liberal party.
Etymology [Cf. F. libéralisme.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “liberalism”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details