The View | The three faces of liberalism, and why power needs to be shared in Hong Kong
Growing political conflict is primarily economic and social in nature
Liberalism is a political philosophy that embraces liberty and equality as its core ideas. Liberals generally support ideas such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, free markets, civil rights, democratic societies, secular governments and international cooperation.
In the 20th-century the word liberalism has been used to cover a wide array of views depending on the emphasis and understanding of the principles of liberty and equality. Three faces of liberalism have taken hold: classical liberalism; social liberalism (or social democracy); and “liberalism of deep diversity”.
What we call classical liberalism emerged in the Age of Enlightenment and gave priority to liberty; in modern America this is also called libertarianism. The term liberalism there has taken on a new meaning best described as social liberalism with its stress on equality.
In Europe, the word liberalism has retained its original classical meaning, but to avoid confusion with social liberalism in America, it is called European liberalism. Europe in the 20th century, particularly on the continent, placed even more emphasis on equality than American social liberalism, and it is more accurate to describe this ideology as social democracy.
Imposing a solution from above is unlikely to work, as the failures of past efforts here and elsewhere have demonstrated
The growing emphasis on equality in the conception of liberalism in America and Europe implies a shift in focus. Classical liberalism views liberty as the freedom of individuals from external constraints. Social democracy views liberty as the freedom to be master of one’s life through collective participation in political life.
The principles of liberty and equality underlying classical liberalism, social liberalism and social democracy are all based on universal moral values and truths applicable to all men, everywhere, which are derived from the notion that men are equal and free. Family, community, history, place and all other ties that encumber a person are never mentioned, not even age or gender.