A ferroelectric liquid crystal device includes: a pair of insulating substrates having alignment films and electrodes thereon; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of insulating substrates, the liquid crystal layer including a ferroelectric liquid crystal material being capable of exhibiting at least the smectic A phase and the chiral smectic C phase in its phase sequence, and the ferroelectric liquid crystal device being driven by switching an optic axis of the liquid crystal layer by selectively applying a driving voltage to at least one of the electrodes, wherein ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer have a tilt angle of 8.degree. or less at a (Tc-1).degree.C. where Tc.degree.C. is an uppermost temperature limit of the chiral smectic C phase of the ferroelectric liquid crystal material.