Liberalization
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| + | '''Liberalization''' (or '''liberalisation''') is any process whereby a state lifts restrictions on some private individual activities. Liberalization occurs when something which used to be banned is no longer banned, or when [[government]] [[regulation]]s are relaxed. | ||
| - | '''Decriminalization''' is the abolition of [[crime|criminal]] [[sentence (law)|penalties]] in relation to certain acts, perhaps retroactively, though perhaps regulated permits or fines might still apply (for contrast, see: [[Legalization]]). The reverse process is [[criminalization]]. | + | The term "liberalization" is most often used in discussing [[economic liberalization]], which refers to the reduction of state involvement in the economy, but it can be used in other contexts as well. |
| - | Decriminalization reflects changing social and [[moral]] views. A society may come to the view that an act is not harmful, should no longer be criminalized, or is otherwise not a matter to be addressed by the [[criminal justice]] system. Examples of subject matter which have been the subject of changing views on criminality over time in various societies and countries include: | + | ==In law== |
| + | In social policy, liberalization may refer to a relaxation of laws restricting, for example, divorce, abortion, or psychoactive drugs. Regarding [[Civil and political rights|civil rights]], it may refer to the elimination of laws prohibiting homosexuality, private ownership of firearms or other items, same-sex marriage, inter-racial marriage, or inter-faith marriage. | ||
| - | *[[abortion]] | + | ==In economy and trade== |
| - | *[[breastfeeding in public]] | + | Economic liberalization refers to the reduction or elimination of government regulations or restrictions on private business and trade. It is usually promoted by advocates of [[free market]]s and [[free trade]], whose ideology is also called [[economic liberalism]]. Economic liberalization also often involves reductions of taxes, social security, and unemployment benefits. |
| - | *[[drug possession]], and [[recreational drug use]] | + | |
| - | *[[euthanasia]] | + | |
| - | *[[homosexuality]] | + | |
| - | *[[polygamy]] | + | |
| - | *[[prostitution]] | + | |
| - | *[[public nudity]] | + | |
| - | *[[Ergogenic use of anabolic steroids|steroid use in sport]] | + | |
| - | While decriminalized acts are no longer crimes, they may still be the subject of regulation; for example, the licensing and regular medical testing of prostitutes, or a monetary penalty in place of a criminal charge for the possession of a decriminalized drug. This should be contrasted with [[legalization]], which removes all or most legal detriments from a previously illegal act. | + | Economic liberalization is often associated with [[privatization]], which is the process of transferring ownership or outsourcing of a business, enterprise, agency, [[public]] service or public property from the public sector to the private sector. For example, the [[European Union]] has liberalized gas and electricity markets, instituting a competitive system. Some leading European energy companies such as France's [[Électricité de France|EDF]] and Sweden's [[Vattenfall]] remain partially or completely in government ownership. Liberalized and privatized public services may be dominated by big companies, particularly in sectors with high capital, water, gas, or electricity costs. In some cases they may remain legal monopolies, at least for some segments of the market like consumers. Liberalization, privatization and stabilization are the [[Washington Consensus]]'s trinity strategy for economies in transition. |
| - | ==Drug-use decriminalisation topics== | + | There is also a concept of hybrid liberalization as, for instance, in Ghana, cocoa crops can be sold to competing private companies, but there is a minimum price for which it can be sold and all exports are controlled by the state. |
| - | *[[Cannabis rescheduling]] | + | |
| - | *[[Decriminalization of non-medicinal marijuana in the United States]] | + | ==Comparison with democratization== |
| - | *[[Places that have decriminalized marijuana in the United States]] | + | There is a distinct difference between liberalization and [[democratization]]. Liberalization can take place without democratization, and deals with a combination of policy and social change specialized to a certain issue, such as the liberalization of government-held property for private purchase. Democratization is politically highly specialized; it can arise from a liberalization but works on a broader level of governmental liberalization. |
| - | *[[Legal history of marijuana in the United States]] | + | |
| - | *[[Legality of cannabis by country]] | + | |
| - | *[[Legal and medical status of cannabis]] | + | |
| - | *[[Legality of cannabis]] | + | |
| - | *[[Cannabis legalization in Canada]] | + | |
| - | *[[Marijuana Policy Project]] | + | |
| - | *[[Colorado Amendment 44 (2006)]] | + | |
| - | *[[War on Drugs]] | + | |
| - | *[[Law Enforcement Against Prohibition]] | + | |
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| - | *[[Timeline of LGBT history]] | + | * [[Deregulation]] |
| - | *[[Legalization]] | + | * [[Emancipation]] |
| - | *[[Liberalization]] | + | * [[Free trade]] |
| - | *[[Prohibition]] | + | * [[Oligopoly]] |
| - | *[[Public order crime]] | + | * [[Marketization]] |
| - | *[[victimless crime (political philosophy)|Victimless Crime]] | + | * [[Reunification of Germany]] |
| - | *[[Legal issues of anabolic steroids]] | + | |
| - | *[[Sex trade (Canada)]] | + | '''Specific:''' |
| - | *[[Sex worker]] | + | * [[Drug liberalization]] |
| - | *[[Sodomy law]] | + | * [[Electricity liberalization]] |
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Liberalization (or liberalisation) is any process whereby a state lifts restrictions on some private individual activities. Liberalization occurs when something which used to be banned is no longer banned, or when government regulations are relaxed.
The term "liberalization" is most often used in discussing economic liberalization, which refers to the reduction of state involvement in the economy, but it can be used in other contexts as well.
Contents |
In law
In social policy, liberalization may refer to a relaxation of laws restricting, for example, divorce, abortion, or psychoactive drugs. Regarding civil rights, it may refer to the elimination of laws prohibiting homosexuality, private ownership of firearms or other items, same-sex marriage, inter-racial marriage, or inter-faith marriage.
In economy and trade
Economic liberalization refers to the reduction or elimination of government regulations or restrictions on private business and trade. It is usually promoted by advocates of free markets and free trade, whose ideology is also called economic liberalism. Economic liberalization also often involves reductions of taxes, social security, and unemployment benefits.
Economic liberalization is often associated with privatization, which is the process of transferring ownership or outsourcing of a business, enterprise, agency, public service or public property from the public sector to the private sector. For example, the European Union has liberalized gas and electricity markets, instituting a competitive system. Some leading European energy companies such as France's EDF and Sweden's Vattenfall remain partially or completely in government ownership. Liberalized and privatized public services may be dominated by big companies, particularly in sectors with high capital, water, gas, or electricity costs. In some cases they may remain legal monopolies, at least for some segments of the market like consumers. Liberalization, privatization and stabilization are the Washington Consensus's trinity strategy for economies in transition.
There is also a concept of hybrid liberalization as, for instance, in Ghana, cocoa crops can be sold to competing private companies, but there is a minimum price for which it can be sold and all exports are controlled by the state.
Comparison with democratization
There is a distinct difference between liberalization and democratization. Liberalization can take place without democratization, and deals with a combination of policy and social change specialized to a certain issue, such as the liberalization of government-held property for private purchase. Democratization is politically highly specialized; it can arise from a liberalization but works on a broader level of governmental liberalization.
See also
Specific:
