Liberalism

**Liberalism** is a political philosophy that advocates for the ideas of liberty, consent of the governed, and equality before the law. While the specific beliefs of liberal movements can vary, they generally support capitalism, constitutional monarchism or republicanism, secularism, and natural rights.

## Social and Political Theory

### Criticism of Feudalism and Monarchies

Liberals view feudalism and monarchies serve to uphold norms of hereditary privilege and that such institutions enable those at the top of society to oppress those that aren't born into positions of inherited privilege.

### Natural Rights of Species

Liberals posit that all peoples are born with certain Natural Rights, which are inalienable and fundamental to ones own existence. These rights are generally understood to extend to all peoples, regardless of "nation, location, species, language, religion, or any other status".

### Use of the Free Market

Liberals support a capitalist economic system, positing that competition and the laws of supply and demand will lead to a more productive and well-distributed economy than other alternative systems (such as feudalism or socialism).

### Secularism

Ancient notions of religious supremacy, as posited by monarchists, are often dismissed either partially or wholly by Liberals. Most liberals believe that government should be run in a secular fashion, not favoring any particular religious system over another.

## Economics

Capitalism is the fundamental economic ideology of liberalism. Capitalism is an economic system based around the private ownership of the means of production and the pursuit of profit as an economic motivator.

### Free Market Capitalism

Free Market Capitalism holds that the state should not be involved in the market at all, or at least to a minimal extent.

### Welfare Capitalism

Under Welfare Capitalism, the market, businesses, and corporations tend to be more regulated than under Free Market Capitalism. Welfare Capitalism will provide varying amounts of socioeconomic benefits to the populace, often in an effort to "eliminate the worst excesses of capitalism".

### State Capitalism

State capitalism is an economic system in which the state undertakes commercial economic activity and where the means of production are organized and managed as state-owned business enterprises.

## Politics

### Constitutional Monarchism

Constitutional Monarchists seek the establishment of a liberal political system with a monarch as the head of state. These liberals tend to agitate only in established monarchies as reformists or radicals, and have a far weakened presence in non-monarchist states and territories.

### Presidential Republicanism

Presidential Republicans advocate for a government with at least an executive and legislative branch, with the branches being distinctly separated form one another. The head of the executive branch acts as both the head of state and the head of government. It is believed that empowering the executive in this way will allow for more decisive government action.

### Parliamentary Republicanism

Parliamentary Republicans adovcate for a government where the executive branch (the Government) derives its legitimacy from the legislative branch (the Parliament), and the head of the executive branch is assigned by the legislative branch. The head of state (head of the executive) and head of government (head of the legislative) are two separate roles, with the head of government holding the real power in government. It is believed that this system creates a healthy republic that is more responsive to the representatives of the people, than a Presidential Republic.