In many conversations about politics, you’ve probably heard people described as right-wing or left-wing to define their political ideology. More recently, you’ve likely heard the term “new left,” and even people who are ideologically right-wing define themselves as part of the “new left.” All of this can sometimes lead to confusion. To clarify this, here’s an easy way to determine what it means to be right-wing and what it means to be left-wing. We’ve also designed a quiz to help you discover where you fall on the political spectrum. Click to start the quiz now or continue reading the post.
The left-right spectrum is defined in socio-economic terms. In this case, the left-wing favors state intervention in social and economic matters, while the right-wing wants less state intervention and more participation from private actors.
If we focus on the economic aspect, wanting more free markets and less government regulation would be considered right-wing. The opposite would be left-wing policies that seek more regulation and rules that limit what companies can and cannot do. Another characteristic is the operation of state-owned enterprises. The left favors and promotes state-owned enterprises, while the right believes it’s better to leave them in the hands of private companies.
On the social front, the left supports many social programs, including significant investment in public education, free healthcare, universal basic income, the arts, and scientific research, among others. In contrast, the right argues that social welfare is an unnecessary government expense and that people can succeed on their own if they choose to; in other words, “where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
If you’re curious to know how left-wing or right-wing you are, we invite you to take the political personality test.
So, where does the so-called New Left fit in? I invite you to read this other article, where we explain what the New Left is all about and why even those on the right consider themselves part of the New Left.