  Various possibilities of polar self-organisation in low molar mass nematic,
smectic and columnar liquid crystals are discussed with particular focus on the
underlying molecular symmetries and interactions. Distinction is made between
vector and pseudovector polarities, their quantification in terms of molecular
order parameters and their relation to spontaneous electric polarisation and to
molecular chirality. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms that give
rise to polar ordering in existing lamellar and columnar phases may be useful
for the design of new polar variants of common a-polar liquid crystals.
Keywords:Polar Nematics; Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals; Polar Ordering.
