The adjective “liberal” was derived from the 12th century Old French liberal (befitting free people, noble, generous, willing, zealous) and directly from the Latin liberalis (noble, generous, willing, zealous — literally “of freedom, pertaining to or benefiting a free person”) and liber (free, unrestricted, unimpeded, unbridled, unchecked, licentious). It was first used in English during the mid-14th century to mean “generous, nobly born, noble, free,” and in the late-14thcentury as “selfless, magnanimous, admirable.” These definitions generally denote positive characteristics, except when freedoms are unbounded or immoral.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the term liberal meant “free from restraint in speech or action.” During the Age of Enlightenment (1687–1789), liberal was positively revised to mean “free from prejudice, tolerant, not bigoted or narrow.” In the 19th century, it was used in theology in opposition to orthodox. Liberal theology is a Christian doctrine that seeks to reformulate orthodoxy within contemporary terms. It emphasizes the use of reason, science, freedom, and experience while focusing on human goodness, progress, and the continuities between the divine and human.
Early in the 19th century, the adjective “liberal” started to be used politically as “tending to favor freedom and democracy” and was associated with political parties that favored individual political freedom. This use was derived from the French libéral during the period when France was transitioning from a monarchy/emperor to a republic. In the United States, the term was applied to mean “favorable government action to effect social change,” thus open to new ideas and reforms.
During the early 19th century, liberal was used in Great Britian as a noun defined as a “member of the progressive and reformist political party of Great Britian, an anti-Whig.” Over time, it was used in reference to persons of a political ideology that were not conservative or fascist but not fully socialistic. During the 20th century, it was used in reference to ministers from less-dogmatic Christian churches. During my lifetime, the word liberal moved from a positive term to a negative political label. This is unfortunate as its historical roots are derived from freedom, nobleness, and generous characteristics, something that all citizens hopefully should agree are beneficial to society.
In the late 14th century, liberal arts were derived from the Latin artes liberals for the seven attainments directed to intellectual, as opposed to servile or mechanical, enlargement (grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astrology). This was the education designed for a gentleman, as opposed to technical, professional, or specialized training. Knowledge of the Latin and Greek languages, classical history, philosophy, and theology were foundational to a liberal arts education.
Liberal arts colleges are in decline. First, there is a declining US student population (-20%) due to declining birth rate. This decline means that there are too many higher education institutions or higher education will need to enroll less qualified students. Second, the current birth rate is less than required to maintain the US population. Immigration, legal and illegal, currently maintains the US population. Immigrants usually need funding from outside their family for higher education, especially to attend more expensive private higher education institutions. Third, the HEPI (High Education Price Index) exceeds the CPI (Consumer Price Index) which makes higher education less affordable over time. And fourth, liberal arts colleges that do not rank in the top 25 have difficulty showing the future financial returns for the student’s investment.
Liberal arts colleges were primarily founded by Christian denominations as educational institutions for ministers, lawyers, physicians, teachers, and other professional careers. The academic courses were structured to develop critical thinking skills, moral character, language fluency, and polished written skills. This generalist training was to prepare students for seminary, law, medical, or other graduate schools. Those who decided not to continue their education after obtaining a liberal arts undergraduate degree became teachers, joined or opened businesses, or raised children.
Times have changed and liberal arts institutions must adapt to a more technological society. Deep knowledge of a specific subject is required for mastery. Humanities subjects are generally lower salaried when compared to the sciences. Student debt is staggering; the inability to repay student loan obligations is now common. Students have more educational options, and except for the highly selective universities, college-bound students can negotiate amongst competing institutions.
Sadly, the word “liberal” has become politicized. There are both conservative and progressive liberal arts institutions. Within these institutions are conservative and progressive faculty. Liberal arts colleges and universities must adhere to the historical definition of the liberal arts: free from prejudice, tolerant, not bigoted or narrow. Education that is politically biased is not education; it is indoctrination. Liberal arts institutions that cast widely for students and employees will better succeed in educating the next generation. This balance could be the difference between flourishing and bankruptcy.
