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Reverted edits by DevilsChild (talk) to last revision by SamuelC
{{merge|political spectrum}}
Terms like '''right wing''' and '''rightist''' before World War II indicated to the [[Fascist]] side of the political spectrum. Then the "left" meant Communists and most other socialists, while the "right" meant Nazis and Fascists. The meaning of the term has gradually shifted over the intervening {{#expr: {{years ago|1935}} round -1}} years.
While "right wing" continues to suggest opposition to [[Communism]], it no longer means support for the totalitarianism of Hitler, who has become a universally condemned figure.
[[Banana republics]] and other [[authoritarian]] regimes supported by the United States are called "right wing" nowadays. This usage is ambiguous. It suggests that these regimes are [[totalitarian]] in the Nazi sense, which is generally incorrect.
Usage of terms like "right wing" and "far right" by liberals about conservatives is usually intended to conjure up images of Nazi genocide. Indeed, some critics openly liken Israel and its leaders to "Nazis", even though Israel is the most democratic country in the entire Middle East.<ref>Arabs have full citizenship rights in Israel, even serving as judges and legislators.</ref>
In modern politics, the term '''right wing''' is used by [[liberals]] in their attempt to make [[conservatives]] look extreme and unreasonable.
Example usage is, "He's a right-winger!" rather than simply, "He's [[conservative]]."
The term is used less frequently by [[liberals]] now because it has lost much of its pejorative effect.
The term '''Rightist''' refers to someone on the 'right' side of the [[political spectrum]]. Politics on the 'right' usually imply taking positions in favor of the traditional system of a society, including its traditional values and its traditional ruling institutions. Compare: [[leftist]].
It is widely accepted, however, that there is not just one dimension of political thought, so that people can unambiguously be classified as 'right' or 'left'. Nonetheless, the [[political spectrum theory]] still has wide currency.
==References==
{{reflist|small}}
[[category:political Terms]]