Individual rights, limited government, and the rule of law form the core of political liberalism. Liberals argue that persons should be free to pursue their own ends so long as they do not harm others, and that political authority exists to secure that freedom.

Classical liberalism emphasized property rights, free markets, and constitutional restraints. Modern liberalism often accepts a larger role for the state in providing education, health care, and social insurance to make formal freedoms effective. Both strands share a commitment to civil liberties, toleration, and government by consent.

Liberalism has been the dominant framework of many Western democracies, yet it faces challenges from populist, nationalist, and illiberal movements. Debates within liberalism concern the proper scope of markets, the weight of equality, and the limits of cultural toleration. The tradition continues to supply the vocabulary of rights and constitutionalism used across much of the world.

A liberal order protects the space in which individuals and associations can disagree without violence.