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'''Liberalism''' (from the Latin liberalis, "of [[freedom]]") is the [[belief]] in the importance of liberty and [[equality]]. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their [[understanding]] of these principles, but most liberals support such [[fundamental]] [[ideas]] as [[constitutions]], liberal [[democracy]], free and fair elections, human rights, free trade, secularism, and the market economy. These [[ideas]] are often accepted even among political [[groups]] that do not openly profess a liberal [[ideological]] orientation. Liberalism [[encompasses]] several [[intellectual]] [[trends]] and [[traditions]], but the dominant variants are classical liberalism, which became popular in the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_Century 18th century], and social liberalism, which became popular in the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century 20th century].

'''Liberalism''' (from the Latin liberalis, "of [[freedom]]") is the [[belief]] in the importance of liberty and [[equality]]. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their [[understanding]] of these principles, but most liberals support such [[fundamental]] [[ideas]] as [[constitutions]], liberal [[democracy]], free and fair elections, human rights, free trade, secularism, and the market economy. These [[ideas]] are often accepted even among political [[groups]] that do not openly profess a liberal [[ideological]] orientation. Liberalism [[encompasses]] several [[intellectual]] [[trends]] and [[traditions]], but the dominant variants are classical liberalism, which became popular in the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/18th_Century 18th century], and social liberalism, which became popular in the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century 20th century].

Liberalism first became a [[powerful]] [[force]] in the [[Age of Enlightenment]], rejecting several [[foundational]] [[assumptions]] that dominated most earlier [[theories]] of [[government]], such as hereditary [[status]], established [[religion]], absolute [[monarchy]], and the Divine Right of Kings. The early liberal thinker [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke John Locke], who is often credited for the [[creation]] of liberalism as a distinct [[philosophical]] [[tradition]], employed the [[concept]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rights natural rights] and the social contract to argue that the rule of [[law]] should replace [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolutism_(European_history) absolutism] in [[government]], that rulers were subject to the consent of the governed, and that [[private]] [[individuals]] had a fundamental right to life, liberty, and property.

Liberalism first became a [[powerful]] [[force]] in the [[Age of Enlightenment]], rejecting several [[foundational]] [[assumptions]] that dominated most earlier [[theories]] of [[government]], such as hereditary [[status]], established [[religion]], absolute [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarchy monarchy], and the Divine Right of Kings. The early liberal thinker [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke John Locke], who is often credited for the [[creation]] of liberalism as a distinct [[philosophical]] [[tradition]], employed the [[concept]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rights natural rights] and the social contract to argue that the rule of [[law]] should replace [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolutism_(European_history) absolutism] in [[government]], that rulers were subject to the consent of the governed, and that [[private]] [[individuals]] had a fundamental right to life, liberty, and property.

The revolutionaries in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution American Revolution] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution French Revolution] used liberal [[philosophy]] to justify the [[violent]] overthrow of [[tyrannical]] rule, paving the way for the [[development]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history modern history] in tandem with liberal history. The [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_Century 19th century] saw liberal governments established in nations across Europe, Latin America, and North America. Liberal power increased even further in the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century 20th century], when liberal democracies triumphed in two world wars and survived major [[ideological]] [[challenges]] from [[fascism]] and [[communism]].

The revolutionaries in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution American Revolution] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution French Revolution] used liberal [[philosophy]] to justify the [[violent]] overthrow of [[tyrannical]] rule, paving the way for the [[development]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history modern history] in tandem with liberal history. The [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_Century 19th century] saw liberal governments established in nations across Europe, Latin America, and North America. Liberal power increased even further in the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century 20th century], when liberal democracies triumphed in two world wars and survived major [[ideological]] [[challenges]] from [[fascism]] and [[communism]].