In politics the word “liberal” is even more ambiguous than its synonym, “free”. Most would agree that it has something to do with rights. But among the three countries which invented the whole concept, agreement stops there.

In America, liberalism implies a big state which helps poor people. In Britain it has kept its original association with free markets and individual rights. And in France “libéral” is used as a term of abuse against supposed free-market fundamentalists.

At least all this is easy to remember. The three definitions mutate handily from West to East in step with the political spectrum: US (left), Britain (center), France (right).

Which leaves us with the equally difficult task of defining left and right, but that is another question.