Liberalism is a political philosophy which supports freedom of an individual, constitutional state, rights and liberty of an individual, freedom of press, administration of law, impartial judiciary and decentralisation. Liberalism is accepted as a fundamental principle of democracy, because of the support it lends to the freedom of an individual and equality. It also advocates that administrative powers should be in the hands of people and no individual or a group should impose his will and fancies in the administration.

It is the conception of liberalism that certain restrictions and rules can be imposed on an individual only with his consent. In this way, at the helm of democracy, there is a liberal doctrine for the freedom of an individual. But, it should not be construed that liberalism is synonymous to democracy. Though both are closely inter-related, yet they are not one. The basis of liberalism is freedom, whereas the basis of democracy is equality. In this way, it can be concluded that liberalism is not synonymous to democracy.