true meaning of liberal

[historian]

When freepers throw the word liberal at me as if it were verbal slime i like to remind them (if they ever knew this in the beginning)that the term liberal began in the early 20's (perhaps sooner not 100% sure) when working and living conditions of the ordinary labourer were appalling. The liberals claimed that EVERYONE had the right to prosper, without interference from government, had the right to own property etc....Sounds like a modern so called conservative to me.
So, what we are dealing with in this sorry country is massive ignorance, fueled by TV shows and the nonsense Hollywood is busy feeding the masses with.
Hit a freeper with knowledge and watch him a) reach for his gun b)look amazed.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Yep

Ticks them off to no end when you tell U.S. neocons that without Liberals they'd be singing "God Save the Queen" at cricket matches.

[aquart]

2. From ancient Sumerian "libis"

noun. meaning "courage, anger, core, heart, family."

From Akkadian "libbu" meaning "heart."

That's what liberal means: core. heart. courage. family. And anger.

[Columbia]

3. Modern liberalism

has far different meanings from what classical liberalism meant.

Classical liberalism is probably more in line with libertarian idealogy than anything else.

[Terwilliger]

5. what is "modern" liberalism?

:shrug:

[Columbia]

6. It is what it is

What liberal means today as opposed to what it meant a hundred years ago.

[MAlibdem]

7. Social Democrat sort of

Liberal is a very blanket term. In the US (economically), it generally means someone who recognizes that unchecked capitalism creates externalities that the market cannot solve. The government must step in to regulate the market and aid those injured by the externalities.

Examples-Medicare, Social Security, Welfare, environmental laws, labor regulations, etc are attempts (some very successful) to address the problems created by a capitalist economy.

However, most liberals would not want to see the market dissappear, and see it as the most efficient way to distribute goods, services, and meritocratically divide wealth (inheritance tax, etc).

In fact, liberal is a mislabeling of the ideology, except that most liberals support civil liberties. A better term (at least more accurate) would be progressive or leftist (tho that has similar connotative problems as liberal).

[Beer Snob-50]

4. Doesn't Liberal mean

that you are basically open to change? Way back in College (long time ago, Jimmy Carter was Prez) that was the working defination that we used.