Liberalism
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Liberalism is a way of thinking about politics and government. Liberals (the people who believe in liberalism) think that freedom is important.
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[change] What all liberals believe
- Personal freedom - Everyone has the right to live their lives as the please, as long as they do not hurt other people.
- Democracy - Governments should be elected by the people in free and fair elections.
- Rights under law - Governments should protect personal freedom.
[change] What some liberals believe
Some liberals believe that freedom is impossible without equality, and that governments should promote equality by providing education and health care supported by taxes. Other liberals believe that taxes are bad, and people should provide their own education and health care. Most liberal governments today do provide at least some education and health care, though not necessarily equally for all citizens.
Other concepts important to some liberals include:
- Free markets - People should be free to buy and sell goods and services.
- Peace - People should not start wars or use violence.
[change] The philosophy of liberalism
In the old days, kings or queens told people what to do, and there was very little freedom. A few hundred years ago, philosophers (or thinkers) such as John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham began to write about freedom. Earlier writers, such as Marcus Aurelius, had written about freedom, but this time the idea caught on. The United States of America was the first country to have a constitution which was based on the ideas of Mill and Bentham, and which guaranteed certain rights to all citizens, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the right to assemble, the right to bear arms, and the right to ask their government to take action (right of petition) or to remove from office rulers they did not like (right of referendum).
Another idea that became popular around this time was the idea of free trade. A leading philosopher who promoted free trade was Adam Smith.
[change] Liberalism today
Most of the rich countries in the world today are liberal democracies with more or less free trade. An exception to this rule are the oil-rich countries, not all of which are liberal or democratic. Most of the poor countries in the world are dictatorships, with heavy restrictions on trade. China is a poor country which is rapidly becoming rich, and is trying the experiment of combining dictatorship with free trade. Whether it is possible to have the advantages of free trade without other freedoms remains to be seen.
[change] Liberalism around the world
While all liberal governments support free elections, other ideas of liberal government vary a great deal from country to country. For information about liberalism in a particular country, look for an article called "Liberalism in..." and then the name of the country.
