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| − | The '''political spectrum''' classifies some political positions as [[leftist]] or [[rightist]]. Politics on the 'right' usually support the traditional institutions and values of a society. Politics on the 'left' usually favor challenging traditional institutions and values.<ref>H. Winter and T. Bellows (1997), Conflict and Compromise: An Introduction to Political Science, 8th ed., Ch. 3. Longman, Inc.</ref>, | + | 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. |
| − | <ref>S. Tansey (2000), Politics: the Basics, 2nd ed., Ch. 4. Routledge, Inc.</ref>
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| − | The left-right classification comes 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.
| + | 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> |
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| − | The political spectrum of contemporary U.S. politics classifies [[liberal]]s such as [[Democrats]] on the left and [[conservative]]s such as [[Republicans]] on the right.
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| − | In discussions of mid-twentieth century European international politics, [[Communism]] & [[Socialism]] is usually called "left-wing" and [[Nationalism]] ([[Nazism]]/[[Facism]]) "right-wing", no matter how inaccurate, at times, such generalizations are.
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| − | The Left-Right theory does not explain how international coalitions come about. For example, the [[Atlantic Charter]] which gave birth to [[NATO]] was a statement of common objectives and inaugurated by the progressive [[Franklin Roosevelt]] and monarchist [[Tory]] [[Winston Churchill]]. Nor the common objectives pursued by [[George H. W. Bush]] and [[Shimon Peres]] of the Isreali Labor Party. Nor the alliance of [[George W. Bush]] and [[Tony Blair]], to name only a few from a multitude of examples.
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| − | ==Criticisms of a one-dimensional political spectrum==
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| − | [[Libertarian]]s reject a one-dimensional view of the matter.
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| − | :"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." <ref>[http://www.politicalcompass.org/ The Political Compass] </ref>
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| − | 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).
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| | ==Notes== | | ==Notes== |
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| | ==See also== | | ==See also== |
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| − | * [[Fascist]] | + | * [[Facist]] |
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| | * [[Socialist]] | | * [[Socialist]] |
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| | * [[Democrat]] | | * [[Democrat]] |
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| − | * [[Nationalism]]
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| − | * [[Social democracy]]
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| − | * [[Christian democracy]]
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| − | [[Category:Politics]]
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