1. What is liberalism?

Liberalism is a broad political ideology characterized by an emphasis on individual freedom, the autonomous moral value of the individual, and The responsibility to oneself. The required freedom is guaranteed by unquestionable civil and political rights (freedom of speech, religion and assembly, equality before the law, active and passive suffrage, etc.), which belong to every citizen, regardless of their gender, race or social status.

  1. What is the relationship between liberal democracy and liberalism?

Two terms that are close to each other, but by far not the same. Liberal democracy is a specific form of democracy. One that guarantees its citizens unquestionable rights and is characterized by elected government officials, free and regular elections, universal suffrage, the right to run for office, freedom of expression, the right to alternative information and freedom of association.

The term liberalism then refers to an ideology, i.e. a systematized political doctrine formed by a complex of theories about man and society, which seeks not only to explain the real world, but also to change it.

Pojem liberalismus pak označuje ideologii, tj. systematizovanou politickou doktrínu tvořenou komplexem teorií o člověku a společnosti, která se pokouší nejen vysvětlit reálný svět, ale také ho změnit.

  1. Is ANO movement a liberal party?

The ANO movement is a liberal party, especially in the European Parliament, where it is part of the European faction Renew Europe.

In national politics, ANO is a broad-spectrum movement that combines liberal political and economic fundamentals with conservative attitudes, technocratism, developmentalism, etatism and social-democratic elements, such as social sensitivity to vulnerable groups or the policy of active redistribution.

These include the homogenisation of the business environment, the fight against corruption or the separation of the state from the church, the emphasis on low taxation and low indebtedness, the reduction and rationalization of the state administration, the removal of tax exemptions and the fight against barriers to cross-border trade.

  1. What are the other liberal parties in the Czech Republic?

The liberal groupings are Piráti (social liberalism with emphasis on equal opportunities and personal freedom), followed by ODS (primarily neoliberalism supplemented by value conservatism), TOP 09 (neoliberalism and elements of political liberalism) and partly STAN (elements of economic and political liberalism). The Trikolóra shows neoliberal tendencies on economic issues, otherwise it is strictly conservative. From the non-parliamentary parties Zelení (environmentalism combined with social liberalism) and Svobodní (economic ultraliberalism to anarcho-capitalism).

  1. What are the liberal political parties in the world?

Due to the long development of liberalism, it has acquired different connotations in different parts of the world. Simply put, liberal ideology is reflected in the political-cultural (liberalism-conservatism axis) and the economic dimensions (liberalism-socialism axis). In the US, liberalism is understood as a rather left-wing political orientation, i.e. social liberalism and its main representative is the Democratic Party, in Europe it is, for example, the Dutch Democraten 66. In Europe, especially in Great Britain, the economic dimension of liberalism is emphasized with emphasis on central individualist politics, personal freedoms, and liberal economic practices (typically the British Liberal Democrats, the German Freie Demokratische Partei, or the Swedish Liberalerna).

  1. How do liberals view European integration?

Liberals clearly support European cooperation but are aware of the limits of the current form of the European Union, which is why they associate in the European faction Renew Europe, which is the third strongest grouping with 98 MEPs. Rather than federalist, it tends to strengthen economic cooperation, complete the single European market and remove trade barriers. In European politics, they emphasize the rule of law and reject authoritarian tendencies in individual member states. In recent years, Renew has committed itself to environmental and sustainable policies and commitments under the Paris Agreement.

  1. Equality or freedom?

Classical liberalism understands freedom and equality as the building blocks of a free society. However, equality is strictly limited to the public sphere, where individual citizens have identical equal rights and obligations. On the contrary, they consider inequalities in economic, cultural or other spheres to be natural, as they are precisely the result of freedom. Liberals are therefore alien to the concept of group social rights based on Marxism.

Contemporary liberalism is more centralized on the issue of the conflict between freedom and equality. They understands freedom and equality as supporting principles which, together with the third element – togetherness – form the basis of ethical individualism, thus creating a connection between individual freedom, order, moderation with the benefit of society as a whole.

  1. Are multiculturalism, support of minorities, positive discrimination or support of migration part of liberalism?

The essential individualism of liberal ideology does not make it possible to define man on the basis of his external differences (ethnicity, nationality or race). Although some liberal parties (especially professing social liberalism such as the Democratic Party in the US or the Czech Piráti) have integrated the above elements into their programs, they have little to do with liberalism. The freedom of an individual is derived from citizenship and the relationship of the free individual with others and the state, not according to the subjective classification of the population into certain groups.

  1. Is patriotism and patriotism in conflict with liberalism?

No. The current struggle against “nationalism” has Marxist roots and is unrelated to liberal ideology. Liberalism understands the state as a requisite but necessary evil. Its existence is essential in order for the sovereignty of the people to be fulfilled. National feelings and pride are not excluded with the freedom of the individual, as it is a personal matter for each of us. E.g. in the case of the establishment of Czechoslovakia, national emancipation enabled the establishment of a liberal and humanistic society.