Editing Liberalism (section)

===[[File:ProtoLib.png]] Proto-Liberalism [[File:Humanismpix.png]]===
Before the Enlightenment, classical thinkers such as [[File:Aristotle.png]] [[Scientocracy|Aristotle]] were considered proto-liberal for their support for private property in opposition to [[File:Platon.png]] [[Noocracy|Plato's]] collectivism, which is instead considered by liberals such as Karl Popper to be the precursor of totalitarianism. [[File:Socrates.png]] [[Noocracy|Socrates]] has also been viewed as a proto-Liberal, due to his conception of an early kind of contract theory, his support for free speech, and his opposition to Athens' [[File:OchloAngry.png]] [[Ochlocracy|"tyranny of the majority"]].

The ancient Chinese writer [[File:Laozi.png]] [[Chinese Theocracy|Laozi]], founder of Taoism, has often been described as a libertarian who like liberals favored minimal government. [[file:Puritan.png]] [[Protestant Theocracy#Puritanism|Puritans]] (especially John Milton) also influenced liberal values somewhat, with their advocacy of common men.

Proto-Liberalism had many states of its own. Beginning in 1505, the nobles (szlachta) of Poland began to establish their own political rights, like the right to [[File:Thar.png]] [[Anti-Authoritarianism|rebel against an unjust government]], the right to [[File:Emon.png]] [[Elective Monarchism|elect the king]], a [[File:Parl.png]] [[Parliamentarianism|parliament]], [[File:Civlibert.png]] [[Civil Libertarianism|religious freedom]], a bill of rights, a [[File:Fed.png]] [[Federalism|federal]] or [[File:Confed.png]] [[Confederalism|confederal]] system, a [[File:Conmon.png]] [[Constitutional Monarchism|constitutional monarchy]], and others. This was called [[File:Noble.png]] [[Elective Monarchism|Golden Liberty]], and served as a major inspiration for many [[File:Jeffersondem.png]][[File:Washdem2.png]] [[Jeffersonian Democracy|Lib]][[Classical Liberalism|er]][[Conservative Liberalism|als]] [[File:Burke.png]] and proto-Liberals (though it was criticised by [[File:Montesquieu.png]] [[Enlightenment Thought|Montesquieu]] for the horrendously harsh treatment of serfs). Later, the szlachta said they had established [[File:Republicanismpix.png]] [[Republicanism|"republican Liberty"]] in Poland.

The second Proto-Liberal state was the [[File:Cball-DutchRepublic.png]] Dutch Republic, established after the Eighty Years' War. In this new Republic there was a [[File:Parl.png]] [[Parliamentarianism|parliament]], [[File:Civlibert.png]] [[Civil Libertarianism|freedom of thought]], growth of early [[File:Cap.png]] [[capitalism]], and an expansion of the arts and [[File:Scientist.png]] [[scientocracy|science]]. The Netherlands quickly became a global power, rivalling the [[File:Abs.png]] [[Absolute Monarchism|absolutist empires]]. The main ideologist of the Dutch Republic's political model was [[File:RenaissanceHumanism.png]] [[Enlightenment Thought|Hugo Grotius]], a [[File:Humanismpix.png]] humanist who came up with ideas of just war, natural law, international law, and natural rights.

A prominent proto-Liberal was [[File:Whig.png]] [[Republicanism|Algernon Sidney]], who wrote Discourses Concerning Government and came up with ideas of [[File:Libertarian.png]] [[Libertarianism|limited government]], consent of the governed, [[File:Thar.png]] [[Anti-Authoritarianism|the right to rebel against a corrupt government]], and [[File:AntiAbs.png]] opposition to the divine right of kings.