Under liberalism (lat. more liber: freely, lat. liberalis: concerning the liberty,) a world view which is based on a liberal convicition, which understood political-philosophical teachings based on it and the pertinent political direction, becomes liberal.

The liberalism was substantially inspired by the philosophy of the clearing-up starting from the second half 17. Century; the term was coined/shaped however only 1812 in Spain.

The liberalism justified the emancipation (release) of delivered dogmas from the Feudalismus and absolutism, which should justify unfreeness (for example Gottesgnadentum).

In the center of his political philosophy the individual, to who greatest possible liberty is to be given, as well as the principle of the Nichtaggression are located. The individual liberty is after liberals conviction the basic standard and basis of a human society, to whom the state and its political are to be aligned like economic order. Where the liberty of the particular is affected, everyone has, to end also the national force - the state has to intervene only if the liberty of the individuals is hurt. Its role has itself to limit with priority to the receipt from right and liberty to. Regularizations of the economy, in addition, social security benefits should be minimized just like taxes. The particular is to be by more at liberty also more responsibility for itself to be transferred.

The liberalism stands in its theory contrary to the Totalitarismus and is considered in many places as a condition, if not as synonym for the view of a modern pluralistischen democracy. Into the present also representatives of explicitly liberals do not regard themselves parties as liberals in the sense of the philosophical definition of the liberalism.

From the Anarchismus the today's liberalism differs by the view that the state - although as far as possible in the background - is regarded for the safety device of liberty and property as necessary, and by decided occurring for a free market order.

Terms and concepts

The term of the liberalism is relatively difficult to determine, without taking on the entire western individualism purchase.

The Spannbreite reaches from the social and/or link liberals to the national and/or right liberals.

The "“Ultra liberals in such a way specified"” or reject in principle everyone by forced contributions financed social measure as inadmissible interference of the state into the personal liberty of the particular.

Politics

Central political demand of the liberalism is after fundamental rights as institutionalized form of the human rights. These are to be guaranteed from the state to and have priority also before democratically caused decisions. See also constitutional state, protection of minorities.

As an important founder of the liberalism John curl is considered. In its 1689 published work Two Treatises OF Government (German: Over the government) it postulates lives, liberty and property as inalienable rights of the citizen. Purpose of the state is to protect these rights. The Frenchman Voltaire did not coin/shape with his utterance "“I is your opinion, but I will fight for the fact that you can express you."” liberals the principle of the tolerance and the liberty of opinion. Charles de Montesquieu applies with its 1748 published De l'esprit lois (dt. of the spirit of the laws) as a founder of the concept of the division of power. John Stuart Mill formulated on Liberty in his most well-known writing (dt: Over the liberty) the limit, "“that the only reason, for which mankind unites, individually or into the freedom of action one of their members to interfere is authorized: to protect itself. That the only purpose, over one dessentwillen obligation against the will of a member of a civilized society rightfully exercise may: to prevent the damage of others."”

Economics

Economically liberals stress the right to private property, since only this can ensure the liberty of the particular. Reasons for it can follow either nature-legal argumentation samples or refer primarily after the effectiveness of a society system which is based on private property. Nature-legal reasons of this kind are in beginnings with Hugo Grotius and Samuel Pufendorf and by John curl are out-formulated: The particular possesses property at its body and therefore also at the work of its body. It is also entitled to tear things from the natural state if it worked on these (for example the soil, which someone works on the first time). If the thing from the natural state tore, it can change the owner then only by donation or exchange. Obligation is hereby impossible. In the tradition of this reason for example the US-American founder fathers, Robert Nozick or Ayn edge argue.

The argumentation which is based on efficiency assumes that the market for the optimal Allokation of resources ensures. A free competition represents thereby optimal in principle control controlling of the economy. Both national competition obstacles (e.g. tax privileges or protective duties) and concentrations of enterprise are thereby a threat of the competition. First well-known representative of the classical liberalism is Adam Smith, famous became its concept of the invisible hand: Self-interested striving of humans contributes to well-being of the entire society. The idea of the classical liberalism - explicit without nature-legal component - is continued to represent by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, on a sozialdarwinistisches extreme of Herbert Spencer floated and is in the newer theory for example with James M. Buchanan or Robert Axelrod.

To economic aspects of the liberalism see also: Manchester liberalism, Neoklassik, Austrian school, Neoliberalismus, Ordoliberalismus, monetarism

History of the liberalism

Roots of the liberalism

The history of the liberalism is older than the term. It developed at the same time with the clearing-up as political reaction for the absolutism 17. and 18. Century.

During the liberalism the political scene in England and the USA during 18. and 19. Century, had he controlled nearly perfectly in the continental-European countries first far less influence.

This changed also in the different French revolutions (after "„the large "“French revolution of 1789 particularly the civil revolution of 1830 and in the consequence also in other countries (Germany, Austria and/or Austria Hungary, Italy, Switzerland).

The liberalism early 19. Century accompanied in many European states, in particular in the German-speaking countries, in addition, in the Italian and other principalities with the nationalism blossoming nearly everywhere since the French revolution (not only in Europe, but for example also in south and Central America), which was understood first as uniform with the ideas of the democracy. Particularly in splintered German and particularly the Italian provinces of this time, or the liberalism was also connected to the areas such as dependent on the Austrian Habsburgern and/or the Spanish Bourbonen, Hungary and divided Poland, standing under Prussian and Austrian rule, with at that time revolutionary demands after national independence or nationalnational unit. After striking down the civil liberals revolutions of 1848/49 (see also Risorgimento, February revolution 1848 and March revolution) the idea of the national unit was taken up particularly in Germany and Italy from rather conservative circles and about two decades later "“from above"” was converted. Large parts of the with priority national currents departed thereupon ideals aligned by the liberalism with its emancipatory-liberal, at the rights of the individual and developed at longer term to parties with decidedly anti-democratic and anti-liberal parliamentary groups.

Liberalism in Great Britain and the United States

Iin Great Britain is today represented with liberally the Democrats a liberal a party (approx. 22%) in the British House of Commons.

In the USA today liberals a direction is named, which is to be shown in the European linguistic usage as "“socialliberally"”, rather even with "“social-democratically"”. On the other hand the advocates one collect themselves to an absolute minimum reduced national intervention since the 1930er years straight in demarcation to "“liberals"” under the term libertarians.

Liberalism in Germany

Articles in category "Liberalism"

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