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