What defines "left-wing" and "right-wing"?

[Jerrymander]

I personally agree with Wikipedia's general definitions

Left-wing politics are political positions or activities that accept or support social equality, often in opposition to social hierarchy and social inequality.[1][2][3][4] They typically involve concern for those in society who are perceived as disadvantaged relative to others and a belief that there are unjustified inequalities that need to be reduced or abolished.[3]

Right-wing politics are political positions or activities that view some forms of social stratification or social inequality as either inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable,[1][2][3] typically defending this position on the basis of natural law, economics or tradition.[4][5][6][7][8][9] Hierarchy and inequality may be viewed as natural results of traditional social differences[10] and/or from competition in market economies.[11][12]

 

[erwinl]

I personally agree with Wikipedia's general definitions

If you stay within the context of the country in question (whichever it is), that could be broadly correct.

Right tends to want to stay things as they are (when in power), or go back to the way things were (when not in power).
Left wants to change things to something different not seen in the past (in that country).

All very, very broadly speaking.
It could also mean that a certain political type is rightwing in one country, but leftwing in another or vice versa.

 

[ThunderChunky]

The politics of the issues gets messy, but I think in terms of psychological drives, left leaning people tend to favor fairness, equality (often of outcome) and collectivism. Right leaning people tend to favor individualism (autonomy, self sufficiency, freedom). Traditionalists that oppose change or want to go back to the gold old days, I think result from a different drive (perhaps fear of a changing world), but they often get grouped with the right wing people.

 

[Susheel]

While the right-wing in the US and India seem to be more or less similar...what we consider the left-wing is far different from what you perceive as such there.

 

[Mark6]

While the right-wing in the US and India seem to be more or less similar...what we consider the left-wing is far different from what you perceive as such there.

Can you elaborate?

 

[dudalb]

In Economics, the size and role of the government in the economy.

 

[Jerrymander]

In Economics, the size and role of the government in the economy.

That doesn't explain anarchists.

Traditionalists that oppose change or want to go back to the gold old days, I think result from a different drive (perhaps fear of a changing world), but they often get grouped with the right wing people.

Right-wing originally did refer to these people.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

I don't agree with this at all:

Left-wing politics are political positions or activities that accept or support social equality, often in opposition to social hierarchy and social inequality.[1][2][3][4] They typically involve concern for those in society who are perceived as disadvantaged relative to others and a belief that there are unjustified inequalities that need to be reduced or abolished.[3]

This is some right-wingers idea that left wingers equate to communism. It's baloney.

A social safety net is not social equality.
Funding education benefits the whole.
Funding infrastructure benefits the whole and stimulates the economy.

One needs regulations because human nature and the free market are flawed. But that doesn't mean one isn't for capitalism and profits.

Taxes should be progressive, the more you make the more you pay, not because wealth needs to be redistributed, but because things cost money and people at the bottom don't have enough to pay.

And a whole boatload of our tax dollars are shifted upward, not downward.
That's what a left-winger believes

 

[cullennz]

I'm roughly down the middle, tending slightly to the right

 

[p0lka]

I thought it was all about cogs in a wheel, the left want them to have rights, the right want them to be left as they were.

 

[Puppycow]

I don't agree with this at all:

This is some right-wingers idea that left wingers equate to communism. It's baloney.

A social safety net is not social equality.
Funding education benefits the whole.
Funding infrastructure benefits the whole and stimulates the economy.

One needs regulations because human nature and the free market are flawed. But that doesn't mean one isn't for capitalism and profits.

Taxes should be progressive, the more you make the more you pay, not because wealth needs to be redistributed, but because things cost money and people at the bottom don't have enough to pay.

And a whole boatload of our tax dollars are shifted upward, not downward.
That's what a left-winger believes

So you are against social equality?

I think the wikipedia definition is broadly correct. I'd put it slightly differently: the left wing is politics that tries to appeal to the poor and working class (think the traditional Labour party in Britain, not "new Labour"), while right-wing politics is politics that seeks to protect the privileges, status and power of the economic and social elite (think the Tories, the party of the old aristocracy).

That's the traditional left/right axis: the peasants vs. the aristocracy. Just translated into somewhat more modern analogues.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

So you are against social equality?

When this country does well, there is a strong middle class. The population is evenly distributed within the social continuum, it's not social equality.

I think the wikipedia definition is broadly correct. I'd put it slightly differently: the left wing is politics that tries to appeal to the poor and working class (think the traditional Labour party in Britain, not "new Labour"), while right-wing politics is politics that seeks to protect the privileges, status and power of the economic and social elite (think the Tories, the party of the old aristocracy).

That's the traditional left/right axis: the peasants vs. the aristocracy. Just translated into somewhat more modern analogues.

Yes, the left is against the right having it all to the detriment of everyone else. But supporting Progressive policies benefit all, not just the the peasants.

This, Yes:

right-wing politics is politics that seeks to protect the privileges, status and power of the economic and social elite

Of course if the aristocracy continues to exclude access to privileges, history suggests overthrow is a common outcome. But in the meantime, I'll repeat the principles I posted above:

A social safety net is not social equality.
Funding education benefits the whole.
Funding infrastructure benefits the whole and stimulates the economy.

One needs regulations because human nature and the free market are flawed. But that doesn't mean one isn't for capitalism and profits.

Taxes should be progressive, the more you make the more you pay, not because wealth needs to be redistributed, but because things cost money and people at the bottom don't have enough to pay.

 

[Puppycow]

Personally I decided that I prefer the term "liberal" to "left-wing" for myself. I don't think of myself as a left-winger or a right-winger but a liberal and a rationalist. I'm for science and progress and reason. I'm basically a utilitarian.

 

[bit_pattern]

In Economics, the size and role of the government in the economy.

That doesn't explain anarchists.



Right-wing originally did refer to these people.

Nor fascists. The view above is a peculiarly American interpretation of the spectrum.

 

[bit_pattern]

Personally I decided that I prefer the term "liberal" to "left-wing" for myself. I don't think of myself as a left-winger or a right-winger but a liberal and a rationalist. I'm for science and progress and reason. I'm basically a utilitarian.

Most right-wingers in American politics are 'liberals' in the proper sense of the world - a belief in markets, trade and individual liberty as the bedrock of a free society.

 

[Jerrymander]

This is some right-wingers idea that left wingers equate to communism....

and anarchism.. and socialism..

A social safety net is not social equality.
Funding education benefits the whole.
Funding infrastructure benefits the whole and stimulates the economy

Social liberals are at the most center-leftists.

That's what a left-winger believes

That's what a moderate left-winger believes, the farther left you are the more you are for redistribution and ending hierarchy.

 

[Belgian thought]

Red and green lights...

 

[Giz]

I personally agree with Wikipedia's general definitions

I think that article must have been written by a left winger! (i.e. Left wing is defined by its goals while the Right wing is defined by what it tolerates).

A mirror image re-wording (from a right wing perspective) might replace:
-------
Left-wing politics are political positions or activities that accept or support social equality

Right-wing politics are political positions or activities that view some forms of social stratification or social inequality as either inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable
--------

with

--------
Right-wing politics are political positions or activities that accept or support individual responsibility, lower taxes and smaller government

Left-wing politics are political positions or activities that view some forms of increased government, higher taxes and persons not being held responsible, as either inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable
----------

See the problem?

 

[Meed]

Politics doesn't exist on a one-dimensional axis with a left side, a right side and a center. I think it's a bad idea to take these ideological labels too seriously. As soon as we think of a position on an issue as "the right wing position" or "the left wing position", that surely has to introduce a major biasing factor. It's hard to avoid, but I think just attempting to be mindful of the problem posed by the concept of "left vs right" probably helps a bit.

 

[cullennz]

Politics doesn't exist on a one-dimensional axis with a left side, a right side and a center. I think it's a bad idea to take these ideological labels too seriously. As soon as we think of a position on an issue as "the right wing position" or "the left wing position", that surely has to introduce a major biasing factor. It's hard to avoid, but I think just attempting to be mindful of the problem posed by the concept of "left vs right" probably helps a bit.

I agree. I personally agree with a lot of things that could be taken from both sides. I'm a bit of of a liberal, but also see a place for socialism when organised properly.

I get annoyed with the whole you are either a god botherer or a hippy