What exactly is "the Left" and "the Right", anyway?

I asked a mate the other day to define what the terms lefty and right-winger meant to him, and his response astounded me. I won’t repeat what he said here in the interest of being concise and getting to the point, but let’s just say it hurt my brain to process. This article aims to clarify, in a neutral sense, what the two sides stand for and believe in.

It’s important to set a baseline, so let’s take a crack at keeping things simple from the outset.

 

On a purely technical level and without jargon: 

 Left: egalitarianism. 

The left tends toward equality, which is why concepts such as gender inclusivity are primarily tackled from this perspective. This emphasis on inclusion gives rise to movements or ideas such as LGBTQI+ rights and DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility).

- Right: hierarchy. 

The belief in hierarchy is the foundational principle of the right. This worldview often involves serving a higher purpose beyond personal goals, which is why religious individuals frequently align with right-wing values—though this is not a strict rule.

Preamble 

It probably wouldn’t surprise most people to learn that the electorate lives somewhere between these two polarities, whether they want to admit it or not. People often oscillate between positions on various issues, influenced by the era they live in and the situations they face.

Politics, at its core, is about self-interest—about attaining power for a cause, whether personal, greater, strategic, or somewhere in between. As environments change, so do political views. However, this is not guaranteed, and sometimes reality diverges from expectation, for better or for worse. People may vote against their own interests willingly, or they may vote for their perceived interests and get an outcome they didn’t anticipate.

You hear it all the time nowadays—on the news, social media, or even at the coffee shop. People are constantly placing others into ideological boxes.

 

Don’t want open borders? You’re a Nazi!

Don’t want the State to control reproductive rights? You’re woke!

These labels being flogged to death have lost much of their meaning. In many cases, they simply serve as shorthand for “I don’t like you and your views,” often delivered with the energy of a toddler stomping their feet on the sidewalk.

 

That said, the term “woke” has arguably lost more meaning than “Nazi,” since far-right extremism has seen a resurgence in some circles and is lately in the mainstream eye. While liberals may overuse the term Nazi, it isn’t completely unwarranted.

 

By now, most people are (perhaps eye-rollingly) familiar with the French Revolution and its influence on modern political terminology. Historically, republicanism and monarchism were considered strictly left and right, respectively. However, modern political thought has evolved while still retaining some of the original essence.

 

During the Revolution, the Left advocated for progress and dismantling the status quo, distributing power throughout the economy, rooted in anti-monarchical and pro-republican sentiment. The Right sought to maintain control and preserve the existing hierarchy over the economy. Nowadays, elements of the contemporary right exist in both the Democratic and Republican Parties, often making them difficult to distinguish on certain issues. 

  

Chapter 1 - Social Differences

Let’s explore what these terms mean in relation to modern social issues. As you read, take note of which principles you align with—this may give you insight into where you sit on the political spectrum.

 

Left

- LGBTQI+ rights: Supports an inclusive and nuanced view of gender, sex, and identity.

 

- Universal healthcare: Believes healthcare is a human right and should be nationalised for the greater good. A healthy nation is a strong nation.

 

- Women’s rights: Advocates for voting rights, reproductive rights, and equality across various spheres.

 

- Marriage equality: Promotes equal household responsibilities, allowing roles to be defined by individual strengths rather than traditional gender norms.

 

- Internationalism: Encourages cooperation between nations—patriotism without nationalism. The term globalism is avoided due to its association with multinational economic corruption (see: Alex Jones).

 

- DEI: Seeks to uplift historically excluded groups (race, gender, LGBTQI+, economic minorities) while not explicitly excluding dominant groups. The primary goal is social equity, though economic benefits may follow. Not all leftists agree with DEI either; some see it as an unnecessary emphasis on identity politics rather than economic or class-based solutions.

 

- Left-Libertarianism: Individual freedoms with an emphasis on social equality, anti-authoritarianism, and opposition to state and capitalist control (e.g., anarcho-socialism, worker self-management). 

Right

- Traditional family values: The man is the breadwinner and dominant figure, the woman is the homemaker. Supports the nuclear family model; marriage between a biological man and a woman.

 

- Religion: While not inherently right-wing, many religious structures operate on hierarchical principles. Christianity, for example, has egalitarian teachings but is often aligned with conservative social values.

 

- Women’s subjugation: The New Right, in particular, has increasingly advocated for enforcing rigid gender hierarchies, viewing feminism as a destructive force. This is reflected in rhetoric such as “your body, my rights” and even opposition to women’s voting rights. At a more modest level, this ideology frames a woman’s role as subservient to male authority, with restrictions on reproductive rights, career independence, and social autonomy.

 

- LGBTQI+ exclusivity: Opposes minority rights for religious or cultural reasons. Some secular conservatives also reject LGBTQI+ rights as an unnatural abomination, despite private participation in such acts.

 

- Nationalism: Advocates for preserving cultural identity and limiting multicultural mixing. Opposes the melting pot concept.

Chapter 2 - Economic Differences

Economic policy differences primarily revolve around freedom for corporations vs. freedom for individuals. The Left seeks to maximise worker and consumer rights, whereas the Right prioritises business owner and corporate freedoms.

 

Left

- Welfare: Lifts the minimum threshold for all citizens. Originated during the Great Depression as a relief measure.

 

- Unions: Born from socialist, anarchist, and labour movements.

 

- Taxation: Higher taxes for corporations and the wealthy; lower for workers. Wealth is redistributed through funding social services.

 

- Nationalisation: Certain industries and resources are considered public goods rather than concentrated in the hands of a few.

 

- Regulation: Aims to prevent exploitation and protect essential resources like water. 

Right

- Free-market healthcare: Minimal government intervention; relies on competition to lower costs.

 

- Anti-union: Supports big business over workers; historically opposes labour strikes.

 

- Taxation: Lower taxes for corporations and the wealthy; higher taxes for workers. The belief is that businesses drive economic growth, whereas worker welfare is seen as a strain on the economy.

 

- Rugged individualism: Emphasises personal responsibility and opposition to government handouts. “Pull yourself up by yer bootstraps.”

 

- Liberalism: Minimal state intervention, strong property rights, and free-market economy. Though often associated with the Right, market socialism exists on the Left.

 

- DEI (Right-wing version): Some right-wing policies pioritise preferred demographics (veterans, elites, religious conservatives, the wealthy, rural populations). Branded as meritocracy, though not always based on actual merit. Others argue against any form of structured DEI.

 

- Right-Libertarianism: Individual freedoms with an emphasis on property rights, free-market capitalism, and minimizing government regulation (e.g., Ayn Rand’s Objectivism, anarcho-capitalism). 

Chapter 3 - Grey Areas : Where Both Sides Overlap

- Both sides may use the state to control ideological or material interests.

 

- Immigration stances vary within each side, often influenced by economic or cultural priorities.

 

- Free speech is valued differently depending on context, though neither side is truly absolutist. Hate speech, corporate muffling of workers, consumer shadow-banning, are just a few examples of the interplay between socioeconomic forces restricting speech.

 

- While libertarianism originally had left-wing, social roots in anti-authoritarian and anarchist movements, it was later redefined and inspired by figures like Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman into a right-wing, economically driven ideology focusing on free markets and personal property.

 

- Both sides can be either anti-big government or anti-corporate, depending on circumstances.

 

- Meritocracy is not exclusive to either side but is often compromised by systemic biases.

Conclusion

This article merely scratches the surface of ideological differences, but hopefully, it gives you a clearer picture of where these disagreements stem from.

 

The fundamental difference between the Left and the Right lies in their approach to power distribution: the Left pursues equality (egalitarianism), while the Right favors stratification (hierarchy). Contemporary capitalism commonly aligns with the Right, as it naturally creates and sustains stratification. However, capitalism is not inherently tied to right-wing ideology. Forms of regulated capitalism—such as social democracy, state capitalism, or market socialism—demonstrate that capitalist structures can also function within left-leaning frameworks, distributing power more thoughtfully and evenly throughout society.

 

As you’ve probably noticed, political thought and beliefs exist on a spectrum—most people find themselves agreeing or disagreeing with both sides on different issues. There are also middle-ground solutions; for example, universal healthcare can coexist with private insurance to create a hybrid system that is complimentary to each other. 

So, what side of the aisle do you find yourself more aligned with?