Liberals believe in a free market and free trade, but they differ in the degree of limited government intervention in the economy. In general, government responsibility for health, education and fighting poverty fits into the policies of most liberal parties. But they all, even American liberals, tend to believe in a smaller role for the state than would be supported by most social democrats, let alone socialists or communists.
Liberals believe generally in a neutral government, in the way that it is not for the state to determine how individuals can pursue happiness. This self determination gives way to an open mind in ethical questions. Most liberal parties support the 'pro choice' movement and advocate the emancipation of women and homosexuals. Equality for the law is crucial in liberal policies, Racism is incompatible with liberalism. All liberal parties are secular, but they differ on anti-clericalism. Liberal parties in Latin countries tend to be very anti-clerical.
Strongly divided are liberals on a stance in political economy that argues for government regulation and partial intervention in economy. The degree of this intervention is often hotly debated, and there are greater extremes in rhetoric than in practice. Liberals agree on the idea that the society has very limited interests in the private behavior of its citizens in the areas of private sexual relations, free speech, personal conscience or religious beliefs, and political association. Assurance of personal liberties and freedom, particularly to individual expression, is paramount in this form of liberalism. As John Rawls put it, "The state has no right to determine a particular conception of the good life". The left wing of liberalism, especially in the United States - considers fundamental that the society has a responsibility to guarantee equal opportunity for each of its citizens. In general liberals do not believe that the government should directly control industrial production through state owned enterprises, which places it in opposition to parties such as the Social Democrats of Germany, or the UK Labor Party.
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