What exactly does "left" or "right" mean to you?

[BeBro]

Of course in the political sense.

What defines positively those two terms? I still consider myself moderately left, but in reality I don't care that much about those labels. It seems it's easier for many people to say what they do not like, but for what stand "left" and "right" today? Also, it seems that in some political issues the distinction between the two has lost a lot of its previous meaning, for example when you think about the "new middle" of society which is often believed to be the decisive political factor in countries like Germany.

So in short, what do you think counts truly as "left" or "right" on the political stage, and how much does it matter in modern democracy where (theoretically) a good policy should (IMO) not be too ideologically overloaded?

[Kuciwalker]

Left means those dirty, traitorous, anti-American liberals

Right means our infallible, godlike great leader

[BeBro]

Originally posted by skywalker
Left means those dirty, traitorous, anti-American liberals

Right means our infallible, godlike great leader

Ok, thx. Next

[Al'Kimiya]

There is a reason one direction is called "right".

[BeBro]

Probably. And?

[chequita guevara]

Left means new, progress. Right means old, anti-progress. All extensions of freedom came because leftists forced rightists to give it up.

La Lucha Continua.

[Shi Huangdi]

The Right is Right and the Left is Wrong.

[Bosh]

As far as ideology "left" and "right" have become so muddled that they don't mean much anymore (hence attempts to claim that fascists are really leftists etc.). However I think that there is a real and meaningful left/right cultural divide that means a good bit more than ideology these days.

[BeBro]

Originally posted by Boshko
As far as ideology "left" and "right" have become so muddled that they don't mean much anymore (hence attempts to claim that fascists are really leftists etc.). However I think that there is a real and meaningful left/right cultural divide that means a good bit more than ideology these days.

And this divide is defined how?

[Bosh]

its not something you define, its something you feel.

or you can say something like dirty smelly hippies and anal squares

[GePap]

Right and left are too broad a definitions to matter..for example, free marketeers were part of the left when the definitions were created.

[Spiffor]

The right is evil and greedy - the left is generous and great.

Or more seriously, what Che said: it is trollly worded, but it is right

[Arrian]

Hmm...

To me:

"Right" generally means conservative, probably religious (and thus probably anti-abortion and gay marriage), probably pro-military, probably anti-taxes and government spending (other than military) in general.

"Left" generally means liberal/progressive, if religious of the tolerant sort, but possibly even aetheistic, probably not big on the military, probably pro-goverment spending (social welfare spending, education, etc), and happy to tax me for it.

Unfortunately for me, neither Left nor Right are producing leaders that do what I want. The Right will babble on about fiscal conservatism (which I'm all for, though perhaps a bit different than they mean, but in general I want us to at least try to stay within our means) and then go out and blow billions on the military and/or Senator so-and-so's favorite pork project. Not to mention the Right's tendency to pander to the Relgious Right (my personal "most hated" group). The Left... well, they generally say things I agree with on social issues, but there is always the worry that they will go too far with "tax & spend" (the repub criticism of them). It seemed to work alright when we had a Dem president & repub congress (Clinton). On foreign policy, they all pretty much suck.

So I vote 3rd party, in a vain attempt at strengthening parties other than the Repubs & Democrats.

-Arrian

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Boshko
its not something you define, its something you feel.

God -- you sound like some wishy-washy philosopher who can't make up his mind.

[Sava]

I hate the linear political model. I use "left" and "right" primarily for economics... nothing else. People's political beliefs are too complex to divide into two camps.

[Chemical Ollie]

It's a description of which side of the parliament a politician is sitting.

[Bereta_Eder]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Left means new, progress. Right means old, anti-progress. All extensions of freedom came because leftists forced rightists to give it up.

La Lucha Continua.

Venceremos.

[The Emperor Fabulous]

I prefer to think of "Left" and "Right" as "Liberals" and "Nutcases", respectively

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Semantics and moral judgments aside,

left implies (to me), a larger role of government in solving social problems. A de-emphasis of private sector solutions and/or penalizing of same.

Right implies the inverse.

Now the real trick is finding real world examples as both left and right definitions are muddy at best.

[Bosh]

left implies (to me), a larger role of government in solving social problems. A de-emphasis of private sector solutions and/or penalizing of same.

Bakunin would be quite surprised to find out that he was a right-winger

[BeBro]

And Bismarck a left winger....

Yeah, I know the difference about the role of the state Ogie described is often given as the main category for left/right views, but as he said, in reality it is not sooo easy.

[Theben]

Left to me is everything on one side of a particular vantage point, while right is everything on the other side. Objects may change definition if the vantage point isn't fixed.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Bakunin IIRC as an anarchist did advocate smaller state but did not necessarily envision private sector advocacy.

Again left and right are imperfect definitions.

[General Ludd]

<- Left Right ->

[The diplomat]

This is how I define Left and Right politically:

Left: anti free market, favor tight government regulation of economy, favor big social spending, relunctant to use milirary force, more willing to change social traditions.

Right: pro free market, favor economic deregulation, prefer to emphasize military spending instead of social spending, traditional on social issues.

[The Emperor Fabulous]

<- Right Left ->

(I'm dyslexic)

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Arrian
Unfortunately for me, neither Left nor Right are producing leaders that do what I want.

Hmm...

Even though the Republicans are definitely rightwingers that doesn't mean the Democrats are leftwingers.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I wouldn't define the current Republican admin as necessarily right wing.

OTOH the definition I used above is more appropriate to describe Democrats as left.

[Capt Dizle]

It seems to me that in America the definition of these terms is set by the partisan nature of our politics. You can cling to some other definition but for all intents and purposes the side of an issue taken by the Democratic Party is the left and the other side is the right and the Republicans are found there.

Seldom is an issue found to have three sides. Intellectually, we all now that you can approach any issues from many perspectives but the debate is framed on the positions of the opposing parties.

This is really the reason why we do not have a third major party. Most efforts to promote a third party are doomed because of the perception that they come from the extreme end of the political spectrum. In order to make a third party viable, you would need, in addition to money and a charismatic leader, a major signature issue that lends itself to a third distinct viewpoint that appeals to the center. That issue is elusive. Given the current trend of both parties to co-opt the issues of the other, if only in name only, how can such an issue spring forth, never mind a whole new political philosophy.

Perhaps the only possibility for a third party would come in the form of a movement instead. I think there are both the need and the promise of a movement to direct democracy in the country. This is the only thing I see on the horizon that could disturb the status quo. Until something happens, however, the left will continue to be almost inextricably associated with the Democratic Party and the right with the Republicans.

[Capt Dizle]

oops