I think Americans need to absorb a bit more global context about the left-right spectrum. I see people saying that policies like universal health care, access to abortion, basic worker rights and affordable education are "far left". Most of the proposed policies of the left in the US are centrist in the rest of the Western world. Unless you are advocating for a Communist regime along the lines of the Soviet Union or Maoist China, you aren't really "far left". Similarly, unless someone is advocating for a fascist dictator state, we should probably not call them "far right". Of course, that is what Trumpists advocate for, so they really are far right!

[–] lemmyrolinga@lemmy.ml 9 points 8 months ago (6 children)

Those terms are so vague and have so different meanings to a lot of people that I often avoid using them... I recently read the idea that egalitarian=left // strong hierarchy=right and it kinda makes sense, but it's still quite debatable

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 6 points 8 months ago (5 children)

Generally it's better to separate views by who supports them, and who they benefit. Leftists tend to support the Proletariat, whereas rightists tend to support the bourgeoisie.

[–] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Except there are a ton of right wing positions that don't benefit anyone except the politicians who use them to keep their supporters angry and afraid. I'd go so far as to say left wing policies are primarily about helping people and right wing policies are primarily about hurting people.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 4 points 8 months ago

Reactionary proletarians are victims of bourgeois culture wars, it's the fascist anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT rhetoric that serves as a distraction. That doesn't make the GOP a Worker party even if some workers vote for the GOP.

Left vs Right isn't about Democrat vs Republican, but class interests and dynamics.

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