A ferroelectric liquid crystal composition comprising achiral smectic liquid crystal compound(s) and optically active compounds and having high speed response properties and exhibiting Sc * phase within a broad temperature range including room temperature, and a light-switching element containing the above composition are provided, which composition comprises the following components A, B and C in 50-91%, 4-30% and 5-20%, each by weight, respectively: component A: at least one of compounds of the formula (A) having smectic C phase

R¹ and R² each are same or different, linear or branched alkyl, alkoxy or alkanoyloxy each of 1-18C, X is H, halogen or CN, ℓ, m and n each one 1 or 2 and the sum of ℓ, m and n is 1 or 2, component B: at least one of optically active compounds of the formula (B):

R³ is a linear or branched alkyl or alkoxy of 1-18C, R⁴ is a linear or branched alkyl of 2-18C or a linear or branched alkoxy of 1-18C, Y is H, halogen or CN, k is 0 or 1 and * is asymmetric C, the compounds having the same sense of spontaneous polarization (Ps) in chiral smectic C phase, induced when dissolved in smectic C liquid crystal; and component C: at least one of optically active compounds of the formula

R⁵ is a linear or branched alkyl or alkoxy of 1-18C, R⁶ is a linear or branched alkyl of 2-18C or a linear or branched alkoxy of 1-18C, Z is H, halogen or CN and * is asymmetric C,
   the compounds having the same sense of Ps in chiral smectic C phase, induced when dissolved in smectic C liquid crystal, as that of compounds of component B.