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Line 1: − + − Other political spectrums have been posed, dating back at least as far as the seating arrangements of the [[French National Assembly]] of 1789. <ref> "The old one-dimensional categories of 'right' and 'left', established for the seating arrangement of the French National Assembly of 1789, are overly simplistic for today's complex political landscape." [http://www.politicalcompass.org/ The Political Compass] </ref>+ − + + + + + Line 11:
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distinguishing left/right from issues of freedom
The '''political spectrum''' of contemporary U.S. politics places [[liberal]]s such as [[Democrats]] on the left and [[conservative]]s such as [[Republicans]] on the right.
The '''political spectrum''' of contemporary U.S. politics places [[liberal]]s such as [[Democrats]] on the left and [[conservative]]s such as [[Republicans]] on the right.
The origin of this term comes from the [[National Assembly]] in [[France]] just before the [[French Revolution]]. More [[liberal]] members, who supported political rights for all classes of society, would sit on the left side of the assembly hall in which they met. More [[conservative]] members, who supported the return of 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.
[[Libertarian]]s take a two-dimensional view of the matter.
It has been commonly pointed out that there is no reason to suppose that political points of view can be arranged along a single spectrum from left to right.
:"The old one-dimensional categories of 'right' and 'left', established for the seating arrangement of the French National Assembly of 1789, are overly simplistic for today's complex political landscape." [http://www.politicalcompass.org/ The Political Compass] </ref>
[[Libertarian]]s and [[classical liberal]]s, in particular, reject a one-dimensional view of the matter. They say that their point of view - advocating personal freedom in all its forms, as long as it does not conflict with the freedom of others, is '''not''' a left-wing or right-wing position. Advocating freedom sometimes leads them to take positions that are usually considered [[rightist | right-wing]] (for example, defending a worker's right not to join a labor union) but at other times leads them to take positions that are usually considered [[leftist | left-wing]] (for example, defending gay rights).
==Notes==
==Notes==
==See also==
==See also==
* [[Facist]]
* [[Fascist]]
* [[Socialist]]
* [[Socialist]]