WorldAugust 21, 2026
liberalization
lib-er-uh-luh-ZAY-shun
Definition
The process of making policies, laws, or systems less restrictive and more open to individual freedoms, social changes, or democratic participation.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'liberalis,' meaning 'befitting a free man' or 'noble,' the term evolved into a political concept in the 19th century to describe the expansion of personal and political liberties.
In the news
In this article, the term describes how China's rapid economic growth remained strictly controlled by the government, specifically choosing not to allow corresponding political liberalization alongside its market-based economic reforms.
Court convicts 2 organizers of Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigils in national security case
Read the full article ↗AP News