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Thread: Historical definition of political left.

  1. #1
    eliminatedsprinter
    In the late 19th century there would often be violent physical confrontations between the communists and the socialists and those who opposed them, right on the floor of the French House of Parliament. As a result, the french segregated the communists and the socialists to the left side of the center isle (the left wing) of the French House of Parliament. The terms Left Winger or Leftist have been applied to those who favor communist or socialist ideas ever since.
    The term "Right Winger" is much more vague and simply refers to anyone who strongly disagrees with communisim and socialism and or communist/socialist principles. The more strongly anti-communist/socialist a person is the farther right they are.
    Example:
    I think Communisim and Socialism are among the most authoritarian and totalitarian systems of government ever devised and I strongly oppose them. Thus I am a "Right Winger".

  2. #2
    ULTRA26 # 1
    The assumption that everyone falls under a, Left, Right, Liberal, or Conservative label, is over broad. It is also incorrect to conclude that all Democrats follow only Leftist or Liberal views. It is also an invalid assumption to conclude that Republicans only follow Right Wing or Conservative views.
    In my view, the American people have become much more diverse in their political views and beliefs to consider historical definitions.
    Separation of Church and State
    A Balanced Budget
    Smaller Government
    Stronger and More Effective Government
    War as the Last Resort
    Strengthened Military
    Strong Diplomacy
    Secure Borders
    Investment in Infrastructure
    Elimination of the Electoral College
    No Additional Controls on Non-Automatic Guns
    A Womans Right to Choose
    Stronger More Effective Control of Federal Lobbyists
    Complete Preservation of the Right of Privacy
    Term Limits on all Elected Federal Officials
    Less Federal Involvement in Welfare type State Aid
    Total Election Accountability
    No Amnesty for Illegals
    Fewer Legal Immigrats
    A Riftist, as I see it.
    __________________________________________________ ________________________
    A more modern definition from Wik
    Left-Right politics or the Left-Right political spectrum is a common way of classifying political positions, political ideologies, or political parties along a one-dimensional political spectrum.
    Left vs. Right is an imprecise, broad, dialectical interpretation of a set of factors or determinants. "The Left" and "The Right" are usually understood to represent polar opposites for each determinant, though a particular individual or party may take a "left" stance on one matter and a "right" stance on another.
    The meaning of the terms "left" and "right" in a political context has changed radically over time. The Right is generally against intentional political, economic and social change, the Left is in favour of it.[1] The Left broadly identifies itself with the interests of the masses, while the Right is seen to favour the interests of the established propertied classes.[1]
    Some commentators, such as Norberto Bobbio, have argued that the central difference between left and right is that the left prioritises social equality, while the right prioritises individual responsibility and the maintenance of natural and inherent inequalities between people. Bobbio also makes clear, however, that "left" and "right" are not absolute terms, but vary between different countries and different periods.[2]

  3. #3
    ULTRA26 # 1
    In the late 19th century there would often be violent physical confrontations between the communists and the socialists and those who opposed them, right on the floor of the French House of Parliament. As a result, the french segregated the communists and the socialists to the left side of the center isle (the left wing) of the French House of Parliament. The terms Left Winger or Leftist have been applied to those who favor communist or socialist ideas ever since.
    The term "Right Winger" is much more vague and simply refers to anyone who strongly disagrees with communisim and socialism and or communist/socialist principles. The more strongly anti-communist/socialist a person is the farther right they are.
    Example:
    I think Communisim and Socialism are among the most authoritarian and totalitarian systems of government ever devised and I strongly oppose them. Thus I am a "Right Winger".
    Another definition from Wik:
    Classical liberalism (also known as traditional liberalism[1] and laissez-faire liberalism[2]) is a doctrine stressing the importance of human rationality, individual property rights, natural rights, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional limitations of government, free markets, and individual freedom from restraint as exemplified in the writings of Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill,[3], Montesquieu, Voltaire [4] and others. As such, it is seen as the fusion of economic liberalism with political liberalism.[5] The "normative core" of classical liberalism is the idea that laissez-faire economics will bring about a spontaneous order or invisible hand that benefits the society,[6] though it does not necessarily oppose the state's provision of a few basic public goods that the market is seen as being incapable of providing.[7] The qualification classical was applied in retrospect to distinguish early nineteenth-century liberalism from the "new liberalism" associated with Thomas Hill Green, Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse,[8] and Franklin D. Roosevelt,[9] which grants a more interventionist role for the state.

  4. #4
    eliminatedsprinter
    Another definition from Wik:
    Classical liberalism (also known as traditional liberalism[1] and laissez-faire liberalism[2]) is a doctrine stressing the importance of human rationality, individual property rights, natural rights, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional limitations of government, free markets, and individual freedom from restraint as exemplified in the writings of Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill,[3], Montesquieu, Voltaire [4] and others. As such, it is seen as the fusion of economic liberalism with political liberalism.[5] The "normative core" of classical liberalism is the idea that laissez-faire economics will bring about a spontaneous order or invisible hand that benefits the society,[6] though it does not necessarily oppose the state's provision of a few basic public goods that the market is seen as being incapable of providing.[7] The qualification classical was applied in retrospect to distinguish early nineteenth-century liberalism from the "new liberalism" associated with Thomas Hill Green, Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse,[8] and Franklin D. Roosevelt,[9] which grants a more interventionist role for the state.
    It's ironic that Libralism and Leftism have never ment anything close to the same thing, yet (sadley) today the 2 terms seem to be used as if they are.
    I'm old enough to remember when our old dictionarys simply defined
    "Liberal" to mean "Free thinking and in favor of social change and progress" and "Conservative" as "In favor of maintaining the status quo".

  5. #5
    ULTRA26 # 1
    It's ironic that Libralism and Leftism have never ment anything close to the same thing, yet (sadley) today the 2 terms seem to be used as if they are.
    ES, I agree.

  6. #6
    asch
    It's ironic that Libralism and Leftism have never ment anything close to the same thing, yet (sadley) today the 2 terms seem to be used as if they are.
    I'm old enough to remember when our old dictionarys simply defined
    "Liberal" to mean "Free thinking and in favor of social change and progress" and "Conservative" as "In favor of maintaining the status quo".
    That's beacuse it's easier to sum the two up as equally opposing to the "right"
    And yeah it is sad the two aren't more closely scrutinized, separated and exposed. Left and lib. are catch-all terms nowadays.

  7. #7
    eliminatedsprinter
    That's beacuse it's easier to sum the two up as equally opposing to the "right"
    And yeah it is sad the two aren't more closely scrutinized, separated and exposed. Left and lib. are catch-all terms nowadays.
    That is why I generally specify that I am opposed to the "left" or "Leftism". Those terms, at least, have a more specific and geographically consistant historical meaning. The terms conservative and liberal have been so bastardized that they have almost no meaning today and they also have totally different meanings in different parts of the world.

  8. #8
    ULTRA26 # 1
    A doctrine stressing the importance of human rationality, individual property rights, natural rights, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional limitations of government, free markets, and individual freedom
    The view of Democrats or Republicans, Liberals or Conservatives?
    ES, in support of your point

  9. #9
    centerhill condor
    A doctrine stressing the importance of human rationality, individual property rights, natural rights, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional limitations of government, free markets, and individual freedom
    I'm a constitutionalist...I think I can govern myself and accept the consequences. Irrespective of the population growth.
    left wing, right wing, taste the same to me...Col. Sanders
    CC

  10. #10
    eliminatedsprinter
    A doctrine stressing the importance of human rationality, individual property rights, natural rights, the protection of civil liberties, constitutional limitations of government, free markets, and individual freedom
    The view of Democrats or Republicans, Liberals or Conservatives?
    ES, in support of your point
    All very Liberal concepts, that are today under fire from people that often call themselves "Liberal". Go figure.
    There was a time when I used to call myself a liberal libertarian. Now I have become more of what Ayn Rand called an "Objectivist".

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