# Liberalism

As we has seen before, liberalism was the preeminent reform movement in Europe during the 19th century. Its success, however, differed depending on the historical, economic and social circumstances of each country. Although different forms of Liberalism proposed very different policies, they all supported the same basic principles.

# Now It's Your Turn

According to the chart above, try to put the right word in the gaps.

In a liberal system, because of the JXUwMDM2JXUwMDBmJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAxJXUwMDBmJXUwMDBk sovereignty, the political will of citizens is expressed by JXUwMDJiJXUwMDA2JXUwMDEzJXUwMDAwJXUwMDE0JXUwMDEzJXUwMDA2JXUwMDAy in order to choose their representatives to the JXUwMDA4JXUwMDMxJXUwMDEzJXUwMDFlJXUwMDA1JXUwMDA4JXUwMDBjJXUwMDA4JXUwMDBiJXUw MDFh , the institution that exercises the JXUwMDM0JXUwMDA5JXUwMDAyJXUwMDBlJXUwMDFhJXUwMDFmJXUwMDBkJXUwMDE1JXUwMDFkJXUw MDFmJXUwMDEz power.

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Suffrage gives to citizens the possibility to express their will and the opportunity to change their leaders, approve policies for the country, address wrongs, or protest the limitation of their rights. This is the reason why it´s the most essential political right.

# Think About It

Do you realise that suffrage, restricted or universal, in the 19th century was only a male right?

# Feedback

In the last decades of the 19th century, despite the growth of democracy in many European countries, women remained out of this system.

In the 19th century, in the vast majority of Western countries, married women had noteworthy legal limitations:

- they didn´t have ownership of the money they earned
- they didn´t have ownership of their properties(excluding land depending on countries)
- they couldn´t make contracts
- they couldn´t iniciate lawsuits

demandas, pleitos

demandas, pleitos

# Activity

In 1885 Paul Gide, a French professor of law, wondered if the status of a married women was a status of dependence or in fact a true inability.

What do you think about it? Explain your answer

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