Where did the stereotype of Left wing people being physically weak come from?

I think that exceptional circumstances aside (polarising world wars), lots of prominent leftys in recent history (in politics anyway) have attached themselves to some very soft policies.

Its not hard to see how one could percieve those who support a copious welfare state, as being 'soft'. A lot of that type of view can be (and is seen by many) as them effectively being prepared to bend over and throw money at people who cant be bother to help themselves, rather than taking a more sterne parental type approach.

Also, most socialist teenage types like those that monopolise TSR are also pacifists or borderline pacifists, which has conotations of cowardice dating back to conscription.Look at the threads about the guy punching the girl, all those who are saying 'turn the other cheek' come across to most grown up people with a bit of life experience as niave at best and more likely, unprepared to defend even their most basic rights.

I personally find that some of the lefty type views have a reliance that people always do good rational things, which comes across as niave. And often one does not readily associate niavety with toughness.
Although I am perfectly aware that a certain political view has no bearing on a persons traits.

You can be left wing without being a pacifist.
"They only lie safe in their beds because rough men are prepared to do battle for them".
George Orwell the classic socialist he was hardly a pacifist considering he was shot by a fascist sniper in Spain. Stalin himself was certainly left wing in his youth at least and walked back from Siberia (no easy task) to participate in the revolution. What about Trostky the leader of the Red Army. None of these were conservatives and all were certainly not weak. I personally consider myself to be left wing and certainly supported the man defending himself from the female.

I totally agree, but unless you are the type of person who is well read and educated about things like politics and history, these sort of examples are beyond most. And if you are, you are unlikely to hold such a stereotype.

Most people with only a casual interest who are likely to hold this view, see people like revolutionary uni students protesting agressively that their fees went up, despite the fact they only pay it back over decades based on income, or banning union staff from rememberance parades, or other such nonsense that most adults see as ridiculous.
The rebel without a cause university student who labels themself socialist and pursues ridiculous aims must have an incredibly detremental effect on the minds of the general public of the views.

I fail to see how this makes them physically weak. Also you be a left wing soldier and a left wing airman. Remember the Kronstadt sailors who led the 1917 revolution? They were hardly weak.

It doesnt, just generally, people associate weak willed with other weakness. The stereotype is obviously not true, but is based on current experiences. There are few current examples of strong, decisive socialists. Who is the left wing margaret thatcher?
Love her or hate her, she was a bloody tough opponent, unafraid of any course of action, however tough. I can recall no socialist/left winger from fairly recent british politics who I would think "Jesus, I wouldnt like to come up against them".

The physically thing is not really justified, but I think it is nothing more than people associating weak spirit with weak physicality. And as I said, anybody educated enough to know about the history in detail is unlikely to hold such a sweeping stereotype.

Ayn Rand, probably.

Tito was the left wing version of Thatcher. I agree that some of the labour party at the moment are not the best representatives, however let us look at Ralph Miliband the man so lambasted by the Daily Mail as someone who served his country he was no weakling.

You prove the point with those examples though. How many plumbers know who Tito is? Equally, Ralph Milliband got the most coverage in the mainstream media after the daily mail article. I doubt many average people had more of an idea of who he was other than eds dad.

Its like TOWIE. There are tonnes of educated, intellegent people from essex. But with the most prominent example to most people of essex folk being TOWIE, it is now stereotype that essex dwellers are stupid. The problem with stereotypes are they are founded on poor knowledge, and most who hold the view are unlikely to ever engage in scenarios to expose them to quality counter examples.

Even if there are a million historical figures to disprove it, most of the believers will never learn enough about history to change the view.

So, it is ignorance then?

They are extreme left wing. Extreme left is Communism, moderate left is socialism, moderate right is conservatism, extreme right is fascism. Tbh Stalin had pretty moderate views compared to most communists. Violence and fanaticism are nothing to do with left and right wing, there are plenty of centre violent movements.

The members of the Red Army certainly were not physically weak and were responsible for 90% of Nazi casualties I believe, so I am interested in where did this stereotype of the Left as frail comes from?

The members of the Red Army certainly were not physically weak and were responsible for 90% of Nazi casualties I believe, so I am interested in where did this stereotype of the Left as frail comes from?

I was reading an article a few months back about some research that men who are 'weak' in appearance are more likely to be left-wing whereas the stronger men are more like to be right-wing because they favour independence and dislike being told what to do basically. Obviously it's not as clean-cut as that but it's interesting to think about.

EDIT: Link to a similar article

They are extreme left wing. Extreme left is Communism, moderate left is socialism, moderate right is conservatism, extreme right is fascism. Tbh Stalin had pretty moderate views compared to most communists. Violence and fanaticism are nothing to do with left and right wing, there are plenty of centre violent movements.