Concept in Definition ABC

Political, social and economic doctrine that promotes freedom and rejects state intervention at all levels

It is known as Liberalism to that doctrine politics, economic and social that defends individual freedom and flatly rejects the intervention of the state in civil affairs.

Furthermore, Liberalism is a political and philosophical system that promotes civil liberties and opposes despotism (government of a single person or of several who rule with absolute power). In opposition to the latter and in clear harmony with the liberal doctrine are the democracy representative, the division of powers and republican principles, which are ultimately the pillar of any liberalism.

Individual freedom, the maintenance of a state of right, the progress of society, the equality before the law, the right to private property and religious tolerance, are the main issues for which liberalism fights and fights.

Non-intervention of the state, tolerance, free expression and equality before the law, its bases

For liberalism the state must take the position of an arbiter in regard to the economic activity, intervening as little as possible, letting those who know play the game. Tolerance, on the other hand, is one of the flags raised by liberalism, because the idea is that all proposals be respected, without If there is any type of imposition for one option or another, the citizen must be allowed to choose freely and without conditions of any kind. Free market, free exhibition of ideas, and equality before the law, are the bases on which liberalism is based.

Although liberalism is a whole uniform system, it is possible to distinguish between different types according to the area to which we refer, be it economic, political or social.

Economic liberalism proposes limiting state interference in commercial relations by promoting lower taxes and eliminating regulations. By limiting state intervention, economic liberalism believes that it is guaranteeing a level playing field and will establish a market of perfect competition, of course, by minimizing the participation state will be excluded all types of social assistance, such as subsidies.

On your side, social Liberalism defends freedom in the private conduct of individuals and in regard to their social relationships. In this sense, for example, the legalization of drug use would be supported by social liberalism.

And finally the political liberalism proposes to hand over absolute power to citizens, who will be able to elect their representatives in a sovereign and totally free manner.

It is worth noting that each of these liberal currents has variants and more or less staunch defenders of the freedoms that are promoted. John Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Adam Smith, and John Stuart Mill, among so many others, are some of the famous figures enrolled in the doctrine of liberalism.
Meanwhile, the person who follows and promotes liberalism will be referred to as liberal.

Main criticisms

But just as it has had famous promoters and disseminators, liberalism also has a host of detractors who consider it a system unscrupulous, individualistic and that ends up installing poverty in the places where it is promoted, to cite some of the most critical criticisms recurring.

The inequality Economic is undoubtedly the situation most attributed to liberalism, that is, where liberalism passed and there is this type of scenario, it will be pointed out as the maximum responsible.
Since liberalism is totally opposed to any intervention by the state, critics argue that if there are inequalities, it is not allowed to intervene to correct and correct them, then, this situation will inevitably lead to a worse state of affairs, where poverty will rule on the one hand without possibilities of any kind and from the opposite side the wealthy class, the big companies, who consider them the great allies of this type of system.

The father of economic liberalism and a true pioneer in this sense has been one of the characters we mentioned earlier, Adam Smith, he is credited with promoting the passive role that the state should have before the activity of individuals and Business. Liberalism will naturally take care of streamlining its commercial relations by Balance that generates the law of supply and demand.