This is a think-piece.  I hope that it will inspire you to think about its subject matter. Please approach it with an open mind.

Hello Everyone.  I’m going to take a moment to discuss the political left and social equality. 

This is part two of a series discussing what each of these terms mean.  Today’s topic concerns the western hemisphere of the “political compass.”  The compass, like many others, contains northern, southern, eastern, and western points.  These points represent authoritarianism, anarchy, and the right and left wings, respectively.

So, let’s talk about it.

The left represents social equality

As previously mentioned in part 1 of this series, the term “left-wing” originates in the French Revolution.  Revolutionaries sat to the left of the King in court.  They wanted a more equal distribution of power and privilege in society. 

This is social equality.  It refers to a society where all individuals have equal opportunities, rights, privileges, and access to political power.

The Left advocates for policies and practices that “progress” toward social equality. This includes addressing inequality in income, healthcare, education, and housing.  It also involves protecting civil liberties and human rights.  We call people with a left-wing ideology “leftists” or “progressives.”

Another aspect of the left is a focus on social justice. The Left believes that society should be fair and just and treat everyone equally. They promote an “inclusive” view of what is “normal” or “right.”  There are few, if any, wrong ways to live or exist. 

Social justice focuses on systemic explanations for issues that affect marginalized communities.  Examples include transphobia, racism, ableism, sexism, homophobia, and the like. These concepts exist at the societal level.  They are mostly independent of any one individual’s actions.

Left-wing ideology is pro-democracy.

A socially equal government is a democracy.  Democracy comes from the Greek words demos (people) and kratos (power).  It is a system where the people in society hold power and individual political power is suppressed. 

One person, one vote.  The needs of the many over the needs of the few.

Left-wing political movements seek to provide power to everyone.  This includes individuals that are usually denied access. The ideology values the participation of all citizens in the decision-making process.  It believes in the importance of equal representation.

At its most extreme, a left-wing government is a direct democracy.  In this form, citizens have direct control over the government. They directly vote on its laws and regulations.  Contrast this system with representative democracies, where citizens elect representatives.  Those representatives enact laws and regulations on behalf of the voters.  This is a government with left-wing ideals, but is generally less democratic, and therefore less left-wing.

The democratic leaning of the left stems from a focus on the common good. Leftists believe that society should make decisions with everyone’s goals in mind.  We should not just focus on the interests of a few individuals or groups.

Left-wing ideology values the power of the people.  Leftists believe that everyone should have a say in decisions that affect their lives. They advocate for policies that empower the average individual to have a greater voice in the political process.  Examples include voter protections, ranked and popular vote initiatives, and campaign finance reform.

Socialism, communism, and social democracy are examples of left-wing economies.

While these systems share some similarities, they also have some important differences.  They primarily differ in who controls “the means of production.”  This is the production and distribution of goods and services in society.  Examples include food, housing, healthcare, education, entertainment etc.

In a communist economy, the government owns and controls the means of production. The goal of communism is to create a “classless” society.  There is no difference between the rich and the poor. There are no “haves and have nots.”  Everyone has equal access to resources and wealth.

In a socialist economy, the government owns and controls key industries only, such as healthcare and education. The goal of socialism is to ensure that all citizens have access to basic needs.  Individuals and corporations may control the rest. 

Capitalism is where individuals and corporations control key industries.  Social democracy seeks to reform capitalism instead of replacing it.  The government exists only to try and reduce the negative effects of capitalism.  It achieves this through several policies.  This can include “taxing the rich” and robust “social safety net” programs.

All three systems differ in their approaches reduces inequality. And yet, these are all examples of left-wing economic systems.

The Left raises the quality of life “floor.”

Critics of the left argue that it is too focused on group identity and ignores individuality.

They claim that there is too great an emphasis on systemic problems.  That this can lead to a lack of personal responsibility and a culture of victimhood. They also claim that it reduces personal and economic freedom. 

However, leftists believe that we can create a fair and just society while still valuing individuality.  They just believe that their rights end where another person’s rights begin.  It is a society that prioritizes consent and minimizes coercion. 

So, they strive to ensure that everyone has access to a basic standard of living.  This includes ensuring access to food, healthcare, education, and affordable housing.  People are then free to pursue their life’s purpose to the benefit of society.  

The average person in a left-wing society will have greater freedom than in a right-wing one.  And yet, no individual can reach the heights that a right-wing society can provide.  After all, a king (or a billionaire) has near unlimited freedom, even at the expense of others. 

If the right prioritizes personal responsibility, the left prioritizes group responsibility and cooperation.  We should want to help the group and the group should want to help us.  From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs, as it were.

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