Whenever political topics are debated, someone soon lays claim to being left wing or right wing, or denies being, or accuses someone else of being, one or the other. But what do the terms mean? I suspect people may have a wide range of divergent views on what is the significance of being left or right. Labelling myself as left wing, may I summarise what I understand by it. It means: * opposing tyrannical regimes, like Saddam, Ghaddafi, Hitler, Stalin, Kim Jong Un, etc. * defending democracy, equality, freedom of speech and human rights * putting the needs of the many above the privileges of the few * favouring self-determination of peoples Being right wing means, obviously, the opposite. Have I got that right, then?
Yep totally. Right wing means; promoting tyranny watering down democracy or moving towards dictatorship and state control lack of free right and movement encouragement of abuse of other oh no hold on, Labour did most of those things when they came into power?! I've been wrong all these years, Labour are clearly right wing...2000 plus additional laws, support of Saudi and ams deals with the middle east, promotion of ID cards, introduction of draconian travel regulations andimprosed students for daring to read 'banned' books Erm....*puzzled*
I agree with all of those objectives yet I wouldn't class myself as left wing. Left wing or right wing isn't about the destination it is about how you get there and, specifically, the governments role in that journey. Labour was all about let's make as many people dependent upon the state as possible so that they will vote for us and keep us in power, then they ran out of money.
How would you choose who to vote for based on those "left wing" values? I have a much simpler understanding: Left wing = Unions, benefits, taxes, expenses and lies Right wing = Privatise, tax breaks for the loaded, expenses and lies I agree the items on your list but am definitely not a Leftie.
Imagine it as a horseshoe shape a apposed to a flat line. The more left wing you are the more right wing you become, amazing how much extreme left and extreme right have in common.
That's almost getting into Socialism versus Capitalism.......Note how many so-called Socialists are loaded. AL
There is a brilliant website with quizzes on it as some sort of psychological experiment. I wish I still knew what the address is as I'd like to visit it again. The results of the tests and quizzes show that there are two basic personality types, which we can classify broadly as right and left wing. Right wing people are individualists. They believe that you get what you want from life through your own graft and that once you have it, you have no obligation to share it. They are more "selfish" if you like, but maybe have more energy, more get up and go. They don't rely on the collective, they rely on themselves. Left wing people are more collaborative. They believe more in fairness, in sharing what they have. The are more concerned with harmony than getting the best deal for themselves if that means conflict. The right wing view is that the individual looks after himself. If you don't, more fool you. The left wing view is that if society benefits, I benefit, in some way. I don't classify myself as anything wing. Strangely, as an atheist now, I was brought up with Christian values and they seem to be very left wing: Do as you would be done by, support those weaker than yourself, be charitable, give (and you may receive), set no great store in material riches. I still have problems with people who don't subscribe to those values.
I think there probably are different personality types behind the left versus right divide which, according to a study I heard of a couple of years ago, may be genetic. Your descriptions of the differences between the left and the right are pejorative of the left, I think your sympathies lie very much with the left. In America there is a strong sense of community through belonging to the local church from people with deeply conservative values, they are certainly not "selfish". I think it is wrong to view the right as "selfish", the right does have compassion for the less well off, they just don't wear it on their sleeves like the left. The problem is seen from a different perspective so it is hardly surprising that the solutions differ but the objective is the same, to alleviate poverty. Welfare could be interpretted as being unfair because it provides incentives for, and traps people in, poverty. In its current form it also allows people to make welfare a lifestyle choice and that is certainly unfair on those who choose to work. A recent study suggested that those closest to welfare are more critical of wefare than those further away. There is far more in common between the left and the right when you look at what the objectives are, the main differences are in how you achieve those objectives and in particular the role of the state.
If asked whether I am left or right wing, I answer, "Yes". I've been told by left wingers that I am right wing, and by right wingers I am left wing. It's terribly confusing. I haven't been able to work out whether I'm a Lefty Loosey or a Righty Tighty. I find myself hoping that there is an alternative strategy or ideology to be had, but I don't think there can be. Politics is about polarisation and keeping it simple, so that folks don't need to think about stuff too much.
Maybe the old distinctions of left and right have been replaced. According to a study from the beeb we now have 7 classes. Precariat: This is the most deprived class of all with low levels of economic, cultural and social capital. The every day lives of members of this class are precarious. Traditional Working Class: This class scores low on all forms of the three capitals although they are not the poorest group. The average age of this class is older than the others. Emergent Service Workers: This new class has low economic capital but has high levels of 'emerging' cultural capital and high social capital. This group are young and often found in urban areas. Technical Middle Class: This is a new, small class with high economic capital but seem less culturally engaged. They have relatively few social contacts and so are less socially engaged. New Affluent Workers: This class has medium levels of economic capital and higher levels of cultural and social capital. They are a young and active group. Established Middle Class: Members of this class have high levels of all three capitals although not as high as the Elite. They are a gregarious and culturally engaged class. Elite: This is the most privileged class in Great Britain who have high levels of all three capitals. Their high amount of economic capital sets them apart from everyone else. They have forgotten the Political Class however, although that would certainly fit as a subset of the Elite.
Politics is increasingly about fighting over the middle ground, and trying to occupy the other side's space. I can recommend Peter Oborne's book The Triumph of the Political Class.
Left/Right/Socialist/Fascist/Labour/Conservative,all meaningless generalisations bandied about by people too lazy to consider another point of view. I agree with all the aims described in the original post:but I'm absolutely certain that if we were discussing how to achieve them,we would be on opposite sides. The problems, (as I see them anyway),is that Politicians always go too farolitics in general has been stitched up by those who have the biggest resources:the media nearly always portray the extremist view. This is who I am: I used to vote Conservative,even though I detested the sight of Hunts and Hounds having the right to trample peoples back gardens while chasing a wild animal.(Got no sympathy for the fox,but a bullet is quicker and easier) It's just that they offered me the best opportunity to better myself. I've never voted Labour,much to my parents disgust:I've stood in a crowd at an outdoor union meeting,seen how the Union officials completely ignored the obvious result of a,"show of hands",and called everyone out on strike.All this to support a violent asshole who had punched a Foreman....that is not democracy. I won't vote Lib-Dem because they seem to live in some airy-fairy dream world,no real grit or determination to do anything. And almost every one of the above went to the same bloody Universities,have never done a proper days work in their lives,and have absolutely no clue as to how their decisions affect people in the day to day.It's all bollocks So now I probably can't be arsed to vote anymore....which is probably what Politicians want anyway....
