Editing Liberalization (section)

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Short description|Relaxation of previous government restrictions}}
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'''Liberalization''' or '''liberalisation''' ([[British English]]) is a broad term that refers to the practice of making laws, systems, or opinions less severe,<ref>[[Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary]]: [https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/liberalization Liberalization]</ref> usually in the sense of eliminating certain government regulations or restrictions. The term is used most often in relation to [[economics]], where it refers to [[economic liberalization]], the removal or reduction of restrictions placed upon (a particular sphere of) economic activity.<ref>[[Oxford English Dictionary]]: [https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/107868 Liberalization]</ref> However, liberalization can also be used as a synonym for [[decriminalization]] or [[legalization]] (the act of making something legal after it used to be illegal), for example when describing [[drug liberalization]].