Portal:Politics/Selected article/2008, week 15

In general, liberalization (or liberalisation) refers to a relaxation of previous government restrictions, usually in areas of social or economic policy. Liberalization of autocratic regimes may precede democratization (or not, as in the case of the Prague Spring).

In the arena of social policy it may refer to a relaxation of laws restricting for example divorce, abortion, homosexuality or drugs.

Most often, the term is used to refer to economic liberalization, especially trade liberalization or capital market liberalization.