Usage of the word "Liberal"

[AntiochusIII]

In Australia Liberal means the conservatives.

Golden!

Really, though, liberal is a very evolving term, more vague than the term conservative itself due to its position of supporting change as opposed to conservative being, well, not changing.

That's by definition at least--nay, make that just one of the definitions...

Classical liberalism, the Enlightenment tradition and the oh-so-proud US Constitution, is the origin of the term. Liberty = liberal.

Modern liberalism is more complex. I cannot pinpoint its exact beginning but I can tell you it existed at least before FDR came to power, so I must presume Progressive roots (Progressivism = a very wide range of movements in the early 1900s that frankly range from the KKK to Women's Rights Movement, all intended to change the "sick" society tired of social darwinism and the laissez-faire "inhumanity"). Indeed, to proclaim what is liberalism, like fascism, it is easier to say what it is not: it's not conservative for sure.

It has become some sort of a badword, yes, but only to half of the USA. Just half. No worries. If half the world fails to hate you, then something is wrong with you anyway.

The US use of "liberal" is easier translates to "Leftist position." The European use? Dunno. The Asian (particularly, Middle East) use? Rare, but when use...the state needs to talk to you.