For a few years, you might have heard these words a lot – ‘right-wing’, ‘left-wing’, ‘leftist’, ‘liberal’ etc. While many use it in their daily life now, let us try to understand what the left-wing right-wing ideology is.
Introduction of the words left and right in politics
The usage of these words dates back to 1789. During the French revolution of 1789, the National Assembly was divided into two groups – the ones who supported the kind sat on the right side of the President and those who supported for revolution sat on his left. Those who were loyal to religion and the king sat on the right and those who opposed on the left.
What does left-wing ideology represent?
The core belief on which left-wing ideology thrives on the idea of a society where there is social equality which is void of differences in status, power and wealth. The politics of the left believes to keep religion out of the government, oppose the death penalty, support same-sex marriages and are open to immigration and thereby support globalization.
Of course, this is just the social side of it.
Economically, the left believes to impose a higher tax on the rich to maintain economic equality. Most of the economy is controlled by the state. This, however, restricts entrepreneurship and opposes capitalism.
The left has historically associated with movements like republicanism, socialism, communism, civil rights movements, feminist movements, anti-war movements, and even environmental movements.
Is left-wing ideology relevant in the current political scenario?
It is a question that resurfaces often and when it is posed at a leftist, the obvious answer will be yes, it is relevant. Relevancy keeps changing with time. Here’s how I look at it.
The left-wing that represent the core idea of movements, reform, and revolution will never become irrelevant. Even in the most idealistic society, there is a need to reform and the movement against it will automatically become a part of left-wing ideology.
Let us talk about the left-wing parties in context to the Indian political system. The socialist and communist parties of India majorly represent the left. As we speak, these parties are fighting for their relevance in parliament and as well as on the ground. It is a fight that will keep them awake for several nights in the future.
Keeping the ideology aside, the parties that represent them are guilty of misrepresenting the ideology, the ideologist and the believers.
Unless there is reform within itself, the left parties will be in danger of losing the ample relevance they possess today. The ideology, however, will continue to prevail and do good and bad things for the human cause.
There are always two sides to ideology; the ones who abide by it and those who take it to the extreme. Extremism in any ideology is a harm to human society. Left and right isn’t an exception.
