Wondering what left-wing and right-wing actually mean and what each side believes? I hear you. They’re both terms used a lot in politics, yet a lot of people – including myself for a while – have little idea of what they mean. Have no fear, I’m going to explain what they mean below!
To sum up the beliefs of the left and right-wing in simple terms is very tricky. What I will do is explain the two sides of the political spectrum in the most general ways.
The best I can do is give you an overview of the left and right and what they believe. Here goes…
Who are the Left Wing?
A main belief for the left-wing is that they believe society is better when the Government have a bigger role in our lives.
Economics:
The government should do more to reduce (or even abolish) inequalities between the richest and poorest in society.
One way to achieve this would be through higher taxes on the wealthy. That money will be redistributed to fund government services and programmes which will help support the poorest in society.
On top of this, they believe more should be done to protect workers rights.
Immigration:
The left are usually more in favour of immigration, they believe immigration benefits society.
Values:
The Left-Wing are considered to be progressive. They also usually believe in taking a more soft approach to things like crime (e.g focus on rehabilitation instead of longer prison sentences).
Overview of Right Wing
The right-wing believe society is better served when the Government’s role in our lives is reduced.
Economics:
Government should interfere very little in the economy. The best way to reduce inequalities is to allow businesses to thrive so more jobs are created. This allows everyone from the top to the bottom to become more wealthy.
They believe society and individuals are better off if taxes are kept as low as possible. This will help businesses thrive, employ more people and pay them good wages.
They want people to rely less on Government services and instead support themselves through jobs, family, charities etc.
Immigration:
The right-wing are usually less favourable towards high levels of immigration. They believe immigration needs to be controlled.
Values:
The right-wing are generally more conservative, they believe change (if any) should be slow and gradual. They’re also more likely to take tougher approaches to crime (e.g focus on longer prison sentences instead of rehabilitation).
If you’re interested in political parties and what side of the spectrum they sit on, check out this other piece.
Why Understanding the Left and Right Matters:
- Understand your own biases: Understanding your own views and how they’re categorised in society is useful. It will help you understand where you sit on the political spectrum and why you believe in certain things.
- Help recognise biases: Understanding the left and right-wing also helps you recognise when other people and news platforms are being biased. For example newspapers such as The Daily Mail and The Telegraph are seen as a right-wing while The Mirror and The Guardian are seen as more left-wing.
- Help understand politics: Understanding the political spectrum and the main differences in ideologies is key to understanding politics. It also helps you understand why certain Governments implement particular policies and why people disagree on various issues.
Why It Doesn’t Matter:
It’s important to mention that arguably, the whole left and right-wing thing is outdated.
For example, not everyone is completely left or right-wing. Someone might lean towards the left economically (believe in higher taxes on the wealthy) while also leaning right for other issues (believe in restricting immigration).
One of the biggest issues with the left and right-wing is how it is used to divide people across society.
It’s very easy to see the left-wing and right-wing as two separate tribes that are at constant war. This just isn’t true.
Labelling someone a lefty loony or a right-wing fascist is not productive and only creates hate.
It simply comes down to this: Just because someone has a different view to yours, it doesn’t mean they are your enemy.
For far too long, the left and right-wing has been used as a tool to divide people across society. I personally think that it’s about time we realised that – just like most things – it’s not all black and white.
It doesn’t matter which side you’re on, whether it is left, right or centre. It’s important to remember, that each side of the spectrum largely wants the same thing.
They want what is best for their country and the people who live in it.
The only difference is, they have different ideas on how to run things. That’s it.
No matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, you and your views deserve to be respected. The same goes for respecting people with views different to your own.
So, if you know people with different political views to your own, remember they’re not your enemy. Sure, have a healthy and respectful debate on how the economy should be run (It isn’t just me who does this, right?). Just remember to always keep it civil.
(Of course, I must mention that the above only applies to views that do not harm or discriminate against others. Sadly, extremists exist on both sides. Some people believe in some pretty horrific things and those views should not be tolerated.)
The Political Refresh 