Initially associated with a philosopy of
personal liberty and self reliance, protected by Libretatrian and democratic government, mainly defined as such in the years 1750-1963 (Ending upon the death of John F. Kennedy)
Currently signifies, at least in western democracies, a dedication to what was previously known as socialism, with chief tenets including Government provided healthcare and education, along with mild to heavy redistribution of wealth through "Progressive" taxes based upon income. Also generally associated with the moral relativism and supposed "nonjudgementalism" of American celebrities, Secular Statesman in Europe and a whole range of other "Progressives" who criticize the current system of regulated capitalism in place in the
United States. To be fair to liberals, though their economic ideas appeal especially to those within the so called "Progressive" community, the semi-socialist modern liberalism is a seperate entity from the relativists, nonjudgementalists and general haters of western civilisation and its norms(See Noam Chomsky,
Michael Moore,
Oliver Stone, Barbara Streisand, etc)
"The problem with
hollywood is its full of liberals like
Chevy Chase, who have no connection with the average Americans values"
-Commentators such as Bill Oreilly
"We must embrace a liberal economic agenda or
the minorities in our society will never be equal"
-Jesse Jackson