Liberal came into use as early as the 14th century to designate "a class of free men" and to characterize their conduct as "worthy of a free man."

The horizontal axis, capitalism/democracy, puts the individual at play. Toward the capitalist end, the individual is driven to compete for the purpose of acquisition. Toward the democracy end of this axis, liberalism virtually turns the ancient Greek view on its head. The public is a derivative of free, private association. Acquisitiveness of wealth is on one end, of power on the other.