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Period: 508 BCE to 322 BCE
Ancient Greek Democracy
In 508 B.C., Ancient Greek leader Cleisthenes implemented a political system called demokratia, which means "the people rule" in Greek, establishing many political structures still in use today. Although not all members of ancient Athenian society were allowed to participate in their democracy, the principles established in Ancient Greece reflect the proliferation of humanist values that led to the implementation of liberalist democracies in later centuries. -
Jun 15, 1215
Signing of the Magna Carta
King John of England signed the Magna Carta on June 15, 1215, relinquishing several liberties to his people and declaring that he and his nobility were to be held to the same legal scrutiny as the peasant class of England. King John signed this legal charter to appease threats of civil war, inadvertently becoming the first sovereign to officially declare himself subject to "the rule of law," thereby implementing one of the first key liberalist policies into English law. -
Period: 1300 to
The Renaissance
Between the early 1300s & early 1600s, Europe experienced a revival of humanism, philosophy, science, and the arts. Several fundamental sociopolitical changes during the Renaissance led to the spread of individualism, creating a social demand for more liberalist freedoms. The Renaissance marked a time when the feudal system was falling out of favour in Europe, and ideas central to liberalism, like democratic philosophies and institutions, were being implemented across the Western world. -
Period: 1400 to
The Haudenosaunee Confederacy
The Haudenosaunee, a.k.a the Iroquois people, are a confederacy of six Indigenous tribes that abide by a unifying oral constitution called The Great Law of Peace. Archaeological evidence dates the Iroquois Confederacy to have begun in the 15th century, making it the longest-existing participatory democracy in the world. Many historians believe the Haudenosaunee principles cited in the Great Law of Peace helped inspire the model of liberalism reflected in the United States Constitution. -
Period: Oct 31, 1517 to
The Protestant Reformation
The Catholic Church held great power over people's lives in the Middle Ages. Still, in late 1517, German monk Martin Luther began the protestant movement to advocate against indulgences, frivolous documents sold by the Catholic Church said to grant entry into heaven. Luther's movement, Protestantism, caused a loss of faith in the Catholic Church, whose decline helped increase secular, individualist and liberalist values. It is widely practised now, being the 2nd largest branch of Christianity. -
Period: to
The Enlightenment
From the late 1600s to the early 1800s, the Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that offered new perspectives on philosophy, science, and politics. The guiding principle of enlightened thinkers was that human existence is invariably improved through human endeavour, implying the liberalist idea that acting in self-interest would benefit others. The Increased intellectualism stemming from the Enlightenment would proliferate a growing interest in liberalism in the West. -
Period: to
The Industrial Revolution
The period of industrialization, beginning in the late 18th century, was marked by the invention of mass production, industrial machines, and widespread manufacturing of goods. The Industrial Revolution came with a reformation of economic and social systems where individuals were ranked based on merit and capability. These changes led to a fairer distribution of wealth, division of labour, and job accessibility, giving a voice to those with liberalist economic values. -
The American Revolution
The American Revolution was a revolt of the thirteen United States Colonies against the dominion of Great Britain that lasted between 1775 and 1783. On the fourth of July, 1776, the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, establishing the United States of America as a sovereign nation built on the vital liberalist principles of equality, democracy, economic freedom, and individual rights. -
The French Revolution
The French peasantry's upheaval of their nation's socio-political systems led to the fall of the monarchy and an increase in individual rights. The Revolution is marked by critical events like the implementation of the States General on June 17th, 1789. The States General was a council of representatives to speak for the three French social ranks. Establishing a political structure that implemented liberalist policies like the "rule of law" and individual rights. -
Period: to
Changes to the Class System
The 19th century saw the widespread growth of the middle class. Improved work opportunities from the Industrial Revolution saw individuals become more educated, have fewer children, and limit working hours to accommodate leisure. The expansion of the middle class helped propagate liberalism by giving social leverage to individuals who had previously been relegated to the peasantry, allowing ideas of individual rights, free market, economic freedom, and self-interest to become commonplace.