Liberalism was a philosophy which upheld the belief in human capability to improve society. It advocated freedom of the individual, rationalism, and promoted reform over revolutions. When liberalism was founded in 1789, its main purpose was the protection of human and individual rights. Over the course of time, liberalism changed many of its values, but it kept the protection of human rights at its highest goal. As liberalism was modified, society in both Europe and America underwent transformation.
Liberals had always placed a great emphasis on the freedoms of liberty, speech, expression, thought, press, religion and conscious. They were also firm believers in basing politics on reason and rewarding merit over birth status in employment circumstances. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, liberals promoted laissez faire economics, believing that the government should not have any say in the market place as only negative outcomes could result if they intervened. Liberals also favored a representative government. However, they only felt that men who owned land should be granted the privilege to vote, as they were the only people considered to be educated and worthy of a voice. .
The French Revolution was a contributing factor in unleashing liberal ideals. It had transformed the dynastic state, on which the Old Regime was based, into the modern state. Reforms such as equality under law and career being open to merit allowed for nobles to be ordinary citizens. The French Revolution had promoted interests and values of the bourgeoisie in that it gave a sense of equality among all people. The government, as a result, became for the people of the country as power circulated rather than focusing on just of few individuals. While many reforms began to coincide with liberalist view however, the French leader Napoleon did not feel that each individual was entitled to liberty.