EssaysForStudent.com - Free Essays, Term Papers & Book Notes
Search

Liberalism

By:   •  Essay  •  272 Words  •  April 10, 2010  •  1,003 Views

Page 1 of 2

Liberalism

Liberalism is an ideology, philosophical view, and political tradition which holds that liberty is the primary political valu

Broadly speaking, liberalism emphasizes individual rights. It seeks a society characterized by freedom of thought for individuals, limitations on power (especially of government and religion), the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market economy that supports free private enterprise, and a transparent system of government in which the rights of all citizens are protected.[2] In modern society, liberals favor a liberal democracy with open and fair elections, where all citizens have equal rights by law and an equal opportunity to succeed.[3]

Many new liberals advocate a greater degree of government interference in the free market, often in the form of anti-discrimination laws, civil service examinations, universal education, and progressive taxation. This philosophy frequently extends to a belief that the government should provide for a degree of general welfare, including benefits for the unemployed, housing for the homeless, and medical care for the sick. Such publicly-funded initiatives and interferences in the market are rejected by modern advocates of classical liberalism,

Download as (for upgraded members)  txt (1.9 Kb)   pdf (54.7 Kb)   docx (10.5 Kb)  
Continue for 1 more page »