Difference between revisions of "Political Spectrum"
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| − | The left-right classification originally came from the [[National Assembly]] in [[France]] just before the [[French Revolution]]. Members who supported political rights for all classes of society, would sit on the left side of the assembly hall in which they met. Members who supported the monarchy, would sit towards the right. Those who had been offended by their own party would frequently stand up and walk over to the other side of the hall in order to make a political statement. Historian [[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.]] has said the spectrum theory was "adequate to the political simplicities of the nineteenth century, when the Right meant those who wished to preserve the existing order and the Left meant those who wished to change it. But the twentieth century, here as elsewhere, introduced new ambiguities." <ref>[http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/schlesinger-notrightleft.html Not Right, Not Left, But a Vital Center], [[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.]], ''New York Times Magazine'', April 4, 1948.</ref> | + | The left-right classification originally came from the [[National Assembly]] in [[France]] just before the [[French Revolution]]. Members who supported political rights for all classes of society, would sit on the left side of the assembly hall in which they met. Members who supported the monarchy, would sit towards the right. Those who had been offended by their own party would frequently stand up and walk over to the other side of the hall in order to make a political statement. The leftist [[Reign of Terror]] during the early [[Enlightenment]] reached its peak in the years 1793 and 1794. The left attem,pted a dechristianization movement to replace the "reactionary" worship of God and replace it with the worship of national patriotism, or the ''Patrie''. Many churches were closed and converted into Temples of Reason. <ref>John Hall Stewart, ''A Documentary Survey of the French Revolution'' (Macmillan, New York, 1963). </ref> |
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| + | Historian [[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.]] has said the spectrum theory was "adequate to the political simplicities of the nineteenth century, when the Right meant those who wished to preserve the existing order and the Left meant those who wished to change it. But the twentieth century, here as elsewhere, introduced new ambiguities." <ref>[http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/schlesinger-notrightleft.html Not Right, Not Left, But a Vital Center], [[Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.]], ''New York Times Magazine'', April 4, 1948.</ref> | ||
==Definitions== | ==Definitions== | ||
Revision as of 00:40, April 13, 2007
Political spectrums are not doctrinaire foundations for analysing political views, and there is no theory that explains any of them satisfactorily. Since coming into use at the end of the 18th century the terms have been often redefined. While the problem of assigning motives or views to groups which they do not hold has sometimes resulted, the spectrum theory still may hold some currency for compartive purposes.
Contents
Origin
The left-right classification originally came from the National Assembly in France just before the French Revolution. Members who supported political rights for all classes of society, would sit on the left side of the assembly hall in which they met. Members who supported the monarchy, would sit towards the right. Those who had been offended by their own party would frequently stand up and walk over to the other side of the hall in order to make a political statement. The leftist Reign of Terror during the early Enlightenment reached its peak in the years 1793 and 1794. The left attem,pted a dechristianization movement to replace the "reactionary" worship of God and replace it with the worship of national patriotism, or the Patrie. Many churches were closed and converted into Temples of Reason. [1]
Historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. has said the spectrum theory was "adequate to the political simplicities of the nineteenth century, when the Right meant those who wished to preserve the existing order and the Left meant those who wished to change it. But the twentieth century, here as elsewhere, introduced new ambiguities." [2]
Definitions
The original definition referred to Church and State issues from the late 18th century Enlightenment period. At its root was faith vs. rationalism, or the Church vs. secularism. The so-called "right", defined as "traditional interests" refered to the Church & monarchy who ruled by the Divine right of kings, and the so-called "left" constituted secular elements challenging the Church's longheld influence over civil government. These definitions have always been problematic when attempting to assign Western notions of "left and right" to societies which traditionally have no conception of separation of chuch and states, such as in Islam of Czarist Russia.
Notes
- ↑ John Hall Stewart, A Documentary Survey of the French Revolution (Macmillan, New York, 1963).
- ↑ Not Right, Not Left, But a Vital Center, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., New York Times Magazine, April 4, 1948.
See also
Political labels:
