Liberalism developed along two
strands, political and economic,
which did not always work together.
 Political liberalism,
 seeking constitutional government,
 equality before the law,
 the expansion of suffrage,
 and civil liberties.
 Only Britain and France by 1815 had liberal governments.
 Second strand was economic liberalism, or laissez-faire
capitalism,
 which defended the free market,
 opposed all hindrances to its operation whether unions or
monopolies,
 rejected mercantilism,
 and demanded the governments leave the economy alone to
operate on its own laws.