Right Wing vs Left Wing
Whether or not you are studying politics, you must have come across the words like right wing and left wing often in newspapers making it difficult to understand the news item as you do not know the difference between these two phrases. You are not alone, as there are millions like you having no interest in politics and thus, failing to appreciate the difference between right wingers and left wingers in politics. This article attempts to highlight the differences between right wing and left wing to help you to understand politicians and political party’s position on a political spectrum that ranges from right to left on a scale of ideologies and policies better.
The phrases left wing and right wing were first coined in France, to delineate between political parties on the basis of their opposing ideologies. In fact, left and right wings are positions on a long political spectrum that help people to identify the policies of a political party. In fact, it is possible to have a left wing and a right wing inside a political party where the left wing is described as a section of the party that is radical and reforming while the right wing is described as a section that is conservative or reactionary. This system of right and left originated in France where the nobles sat to the right of the President while the commons were made to sit on the left of the President.
What is Left Wing?
For long, around the world, the left wing has come to connote the political ideology that represents liberalism, progressiveness, socialism, democracy, communism, and a few other isms. Moreover, the left wing consists of parties and people who are in favor of power in the hands of the people at the grassroots level. However, in order to gain this freedom for the people, the left wing expects the government to intervene. The left wing also believes in income equality. In order to achieve this status, they expect the government to put high taxes on wealthy people. They also regulate businesses with more rules.
What is Right Wing?
For those who find all this political jargon gibberish, the right wing, in simple terms refers to those who are in favor of centralization of power. These are the parties and people who want a strong central government and are conservatives by nature. They want a strong government, but they expect that government to be on a smaller scale so that there is more individual responsibility in the society.
For example, in the world’s largest democracy, the US, the Republicans are a part of the right wing as they are conservatives while the democrats belong to the left wing as they are considered liberals. With the passage of time, though, the distinction between the right wing and the left wing has somewhat blurred.
What is the difference between Right Wing and Left Wing?
Right wing and left wing are political ideologies sought to be portrayed as being opposing to each other.
• Definitions of Right Wing and Left Wing:
• Right wing consists of people and parties that are conservatives and stand for the status quo (in favor of things as they are).
• Left wing refers to political parties that are liberal in nature and stand for equality at all levels.
• Government Involvement:
• Right wing wants a strong government that is smaller in scale in order to allow space for more individual responsibility in the society.
• Left wing wants the government to involve in making the society a place of equal opportunities for everyone.
• Businesses:
• Right wing economy puts low taxes and fewer rules on businesses.
• Left wing has more laws and taxes regarding businesses.
• Government Spending:
• Right wing puts the government spending down.
• Left wing expects the government to spend for social welfare. So, government spending is high.
• Income Equality:
• Right wing believes that those who can have the ability to earn more than the others should be free to do so.
• Left wing economy puts high taxes on the wealthy to create income equality.
These are the differences between right wing and left wing. In its extreme form, right wing connotes Fascism while the left wing reminds one of communism. There was a time when the world got divided between right wing and the left wing with communism taking over half of the world while democracy taking roots in the other half of the world.
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