Constitutional liberalism

Constitutional liberalism describes a form of government that upholds the principles of classical liberalism and the rule of law. It differs from liberal democracy in that it is not about the method of selecting government. The journalist and scholar Fareed Zakaria explains that constitutional liberalism "is about government's goals. It refers to the tradition, deep in Western history, that seeks to protect an individual's autonomy and dignity against coercion, whatever the source—state, church, or society." Democracy is becoming more common around the world. Freedom House reported that in 2013 there were 118 electoral democracies. Many of these countries are not constitutionally liberal and can be described as illiberal democracies.

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