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What is left-wing?

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'Left-wing': A desire to spend other people's money to an unnecessary and excessive degree on misguided and ineffective programs.
Original post by similarBlank
And what is the difference between left wing and far left?


The left-right spectrum should be understood as an economic scale, with collectivist anti-capitalist views - some towards the centre take a reformist view to capitalism, believing that it simply needs to be fixed, while others further to the left take a fundamentalist view, believing it should be abolished.
People who are left wing support social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy and social inequality. They believe in taxation to redistribute opportunity and wealth - things like a national health service, and job seeker’s allowance are fundamentally left wing ideas.

Right wing beliefs value tradition, they are about equity, survival of the fittest, and they believe in economic freedom. They typically believe that business shouldn’t be regulated, and that we should all look after ourselves. Right wing people tend believe they shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s education or health service. They believe in freedom to succeed over equality.

Now, coming to the far-left.
The "far left" in Europe are those that place themselves to the left of social democracy (centre left), which they see as insufficiently left-wing. The two main sub-types are the so-called "radical left", for their desire for fundamental change to the capitalist system while accepting of capitalist democracy(reformists), and the "extreme left" who are more hostile to liberal democracy and denounce any compromise with capitalism(fundamentalists).

See more: https://www.politicalcompass.org/analysis2

Original post by similarBlank
Is Liberalism exclusively left wing and is Conservatism exclusively right wing?


Of course not. There are many centre-right liberals (they believe in free-markets eg classical liberalism, and also social liberalism).

Also, pretty much all communist regimes that have ever existed have been extremely conservative in the sense of traditional social values, respect for authority, resistance to change, suspicion of outsiders and so on.
Original post by DMcGovern


That website is rubbish. It's laughable how often the hard left cite it as if it is some kind of conclusive authority. By characterising Miliband Labour as being authoritarian right they lose all credibility.

I **** on that website.
Original post by BeastOfSyracuse
That website is rubbish. It's laughable how often the hard left cite it as if it is some kind of conclusive authority. By characterising Miliband Labour as being authoritarian right they lose all credibility.

I **** on that website.


Define 'hard left'.
It is useful in teaching novices the basics, but the essence of the economic/social scale is sound.
When did they characterise Miliband's centre-left Labour as authoritarian right? :s-smilie:
That bit at the end concerning the website is copied, I wrote the rest myself.
Original post by A1112787
'Left-wing': A desire to spend other people's money to an unnecessary and excessive degree on misguided and ineffective programs.


Because austerity is an effective program.
Original post by Youngmetro
You're not a politician, you're an economist at heart :h:


Well, I could delve into social issues, however in today's age they vary so much. For example, the BNP support nationalisation, high taxes on the wealthy and high spending yet they would litterally stop immigration and deport illegal immigrants.
It's easier to set out the economic parts of politics than the social really.
Original post by A1112787
'Left-wing': A desire to spend other people's money to an unnecessary and excessive degree on misguided and ineffective programs.

Pathetic, grow up.
Reply 28
Avatar for Thomb
Thomb
14
Left wing is intelligent the far left is intellectual.
Left wing is tolerance, multiculturalism and diversity

Its basically loving acceptance of each other as human beings :smile:
Original post by A1112787
'Left-wing': A desire to spend other people's money to an unnecessary and excessive degree on misguided and ineffective programs.


'Right-wing': A hatred of change, people who look different, and the poor

Left wing people are usually poor, have very little or no property of their own, mainly students who want other people's money. They hate culture, tradition, religion, family values. So yes, pretty much young, angry, naive students. You'll find plenty of them here. People normally grow up and become conservatives later in life.

As Churchill said "If you are not a liberal at 25, you have no heart. If you are not a conservative at 35, you have no brain".
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by A1112787
'Left-wing': A desire to spend other people's money to an unnecessary and excessive degree on misguided and ineffective programs.


*cough* Pentagon *cough

Original post by Sequin Rugby
Left wing people are usually poor, have very little or no property of their own, mainly students who want other people's money. They hate culture, tradition, religion, family values. So yes, pretty much young, angry, naive students. You'll find plenty of them here. People normally grow up and become conservatives later in life.As Churchill said "If you are not a liberal at 25, you have no heart. If you are not a conservative at 35, you have no brain".


Liberals are not socialist. Also Churshill would most likely have something to say about the current strain of capitalism from his conservative standpoint. He was an advocate of a land value tax for example to just letting rentierism run riot.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
*cough* Pentagon *cough



Liberals are not socialist. Also Churshill would most likely have something to say about the current strain of capitalism from his conservative standpoint. He was an advocate of a land value tax for example to just letting rentierism run riot.


I did not suggest liberals were socialist. I did not even use the word.
Original post by Sequin Rugby
I did not suggest liberals were socialist. I did not even use the word.


So then what has that quote got to do with the OP?

Aspects of Churchill's conservatism fly in the face of modern neoliberlism and are more at home with Sanders "socialism". Land value tax being an example.
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
So then what has that quote got to do with the OP?

Aspects of Churchill's conservatism fly in the face of modern neoliberlism and are more at home with Sanders "socialism". Land value tax being an example.


The OP was asking about the left-wing. Post-1906 liberals are indeed left-wing. I am aware of the distinction between traditionalist conservatism and classical/neo-liberalism.
Original post by Sequin Rugby
The OP was asking about the left-wing. Post-1906 liberals are indeed left-wing. I am aware of the distinction between traditionalist conservatism and classical/neo-liberalism.


Well Churchill's views on land value tax abnd why it is needed would be classed as socialist by OP if they were expressed by Bernie Sanders. So it is relevant when dealing with knuckle heads.

Sanders just sounds like Roosevelt. What used to be centre left.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
Well Churchill's views on land value tax abnd why it is needed would be classed as socialist by OP if they were expressed by Bernie Sanders. So it is relevant when dealing with knuckle heads.


Would it? I couldn't really care less about the land value tax. Personally I believe in private property rights so I would be against it. But Churchill certainly would not support the absolutely astounding levels of taxation, spending, and borrowing the current "Conservative" party preside over, nor would he support the enormous size that the welfare state has grown to.
Original post by Sequin Rugby
Left wing people are usually poor, have very little or no property of their own, mainly students who want other people's money. They hate culture, tradition, religion, family values. So yes, pretty much young, angry, naive students. You'll find plenty of them here. People normally grow up and become conservatives later in life.

As Churchill said "If you are not a liberal at 25, you have no heart. If you are not a conservative at 35, you have no brain".


Untrue - heard of Tony Benn, Clement Attlee, Emily Thornberry?
Churchill was responsible for starvation of 7 millions of Indian people, while British rule is responsible for genocide that resulted one billion of Indian lives lost. Churchill was unashamed racist, was in favour of use of poison gas on "uncivilized tribes".
Churchill was a despicable man and any opinion of his should not be taken into account.

New research from YouGov Profiles reveals that as a group, today's university students are mainly interested in traditional left-wing issues – but on core economic matters they are actually to the right of the general public.
Obviously the average leftist will be working-middle class, but that's a given considered that the traditional Conservative voters are less well-educated rural dwellers and rich business owners; and traditional Labour voters are in urban and working-class areas.
Dunno why I keep getting called Leftie/ Liberal on the internet when I show my hatred for racist bullies and religious/ anti religious bullies.

I just think judging someone for their race or religion is just disgusting and vile.

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