This is a follow-up to the discussion in a recent question. Is there a consensus about what liberala and liberalismo mean?
These words have very different connotations in different parts of the world. As far as I can tell, this is mainly "US vs. rest of the world". In the US, if you say liberal without any further qualifications, it means something like "socialist", or in any case, something clearly associated with the left side of the political spectrum. In other parts of the world that I know of (Poland, Norway, etc.), liberal is something hard to classify on the political spectrum, but rather leaning to the right, as it's associated with stressing individual freedom (and not collective), supporting low taxes, etc. A liberal is basically a less extreme version of a libertarian.
The definitions from PIV suggest that liberalismo is associated with the latter, and it's not surprising, given that Esperanto originated in Europe.
liberalismo
1 Σ Idearo favora al reĝimo garantianta la individuajn liberecojn k al forigo de la privilegioj.
2 £ Ekonomika doktrino, kiu malpermesas al la ŝtato enmiksiĝi en la ekonomiajn rilatojn inter la individuoj, klasoj aŭ nacioj.
But is it universally understood this way? Can I for example speak of liberalismo with an American Esperantist, or is it better to look for another word?