The process of removing or reducing restrictions, particularly in economic, political, or social contexts, to allow greater freedom and openness.
From Latin 'liberalis' meaning free or generous, through French 'libéral.' The '-ization' suffix indicates the process of making liberal. The economic sense developed in the 19th century, while political liberalization emerged as a concept in the 20th century.
This word embodies the ongoing tension between freedom and control that defines modern politics and economics. The fact that we need a specific term for the 'process of making free' reveals how regulation and restriction are often the default state of human institutions.
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