What is liberalism? Liberalism is an abstract philosophy in favor of protecting citizens' rights, freedom, and equality before the law. Timeline: Early Thinkers: 1 - Spanning from the first religious war—the First Sacred War (595-585 BCE)—to what is considered the final one—The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)—the horrific European wars sparked the people's need for peace and liberty in choosing their own faith. 2 - John Locke, an English philosopher, was the founder of the ini