Abstract
The term liberalism means many things to many people and its understanding is contingent on time and context. Liberalism can thus be termed an "essentially contested concept," the meaning of which shifts and turns depending on individual persuasion (1).
When coupled with another "essentially contested concept"-democracy-we find ourselves in a semantic chaos, with few straws to clutch. Indeed, the coupling of liberalism and democracy has far-reaching implications not just on how political institutions are designed, but also on interpersonal relations, authority patterns, work ethics, and the freedom of action and decision.
Liberalism predetermines our behaviour in the family and society, and also determines the behaviour of states within the international system.