liberalization

American  

[lib-er-uh-lahy-zey-shuhn, lib-ruh-] / ˌlɪb ər əˌlaɪˈzeɪ ʃən, ˌlɪb rə- /

especially British, liberalisation

noun

1. the state of being or becoming more favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.

   The liberalization of Anglican thought predates the rise of Protestant fundamentalism.

2. the act or process of making something, such as laws or regulations, less restrictive, or the state of being or becoming less restrictive.

   The president has proposed liberalization of the criminal code to allow for a reduction in maximum sentences and the introduction of monetary fines for less severe offenses.

   The government is updating existing contracts with some foreign companies to favor liberalization and free market competition.

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Other Word Forms

• overliberalization noun

Etymology

Origin of liberalization

liberaliz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

Last week, US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who is in charge of mineral resources in the United States, visited Venezuela to push for a liberalization of the country's mining laws.

From Barron's

Also worth watching: What steps the government is willing to take with its currency and capital-account liberalization as it seeks to build China into a “financial strong power”

From Barron's

Trade liberalization is wreaking havoc with industry, even as agricultural exports drove 4.4% gross domestic product growth last year.

From Barron's

Twenty years later, students demonstrated against press censorship and called for liberalization and reforms.

From Salon

India’s largest trading partner in goods and services, seems to have prompted a new push for economic liberalization in New Delhi.

From The Wall Street Journal