More Liberty, More Rules? Abortion Policy and the 'Iron Law of Liberalism

While conventional wisdom often equates liberalization with deregulation, a number of theoretical arguments from different scientific backgrounds actually suggest that states tend to increase their rule stock when they adopt more liberal policies. This article studies the case of abortion policy to better understand the relationship between liberalization and (de)regulation. By examining data from 25 countries over a period of 50 years, we empirically assess the dynamics between liberalization events and corresponding regulatory changes. Our findings reveal that while the majority of countries does indeed introduce more rules upon liberalizing abortion, the extent of these regulatory changes varies considerably across countries. Moreover, there are notable instances where liberalization actually comes with fewer rather than more rules. Our analysis suggests that liberalization-induced rule changes can be explained by analyzing the conflicts that characterize liberalization processes in specific countries and during specific time periods. The article illuminates a contested empirical relationship and helps to better understand the policy implications of liberalization trajectories.