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In Latin America, liberalism is associated with the idea of free market, small government and less taxes. On the other side, I continuosly see in United States democratic party politicians being called liberals, for supporting increasing government care in social issues, several times proposing creation of taxes or increase of them to do so. Is this a valid interpretation of liberalism, or in United States are using a distorted version of the term, and these ideas are instead progressivism or socialism?

Does liberalism support the idea of small government, or it's just an interpretation of it?

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    Keep in mind that what in Latin America is called "liberal" is what in the US is called "conservative". What in the US is called "liberal" would probably be called "progresista" in Latin America. – Gaviota Nov 28 '20 at 0:36
  • "In Latin America, liberalism is associated with the idea of free market, small government and less taxes." same in Europe – cbeleites unhappy with SX Nov 29 '20 at 16:54
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The core idea of modern liberalism in the United States is that a liberal society with equal opportunity for everyone can only work when systematic disadvantages are eliminated. So liberals in the United States advocate to elevate disadvantaged minorities with measures like anti-discrimination laws, government funding for discrimination-free access to higher education, universal healthcare and the redistribution of wealth.

All these measures go against the traditional Libertarian idea that the government should be as non-interventionist and economically irrelevant as feasible. Which is why people who argue for a small US government are usually referred to as "Libertarians" instead of "Liberals".

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