left wing or right wing

[Divergedwoods]

The origin of these terms comes from the French revolution, were society was notoriously divided. The right wing looked out to preserve the privileges and economical superiority of the nobility and the clergy.
Obviously the panorama is nowadays very different, which is why I raise the question of, where does the left and right wings stand nowadays; taking into consideration that the last important left wing governments (socialism/communism) failed and that, all (for the most part) considered as right wing governments have strong social programs that rely on the taxation of those with more financial resources.
Is the future of sociological and political structures in the left wing, the right wing of neither?

 

[RichardMNixon]

I'd agree with you that communism has largely failed, but as for socialism, I wasn't aware that the UK, Sweden, Germany, etc. were failed states. Which governments do you consider "right-wing?" The US is the only free country I'd potentially describe as right-wing, but maybe I'm biased.

 

[Deggial]

I do agree that the left-wing/right-wing divide does not properly describe modern political-economic systems and the meaning of the terms differs from country to country. My understanding is that in the US right-wing is used primarily for fiscal conservatives and left-wing for social liberals, rather than socialists per se, at least not in the fashion we use the term socialism in Europe. In contrast, in Greece where I live, both US parties would fall in the right-wing category (or, alternatively, the Democrats would be described as centrists).

Socialism, in the broadest term as used in the US, has not failed. Most European countries can still be described as welfare states and Sweden has a very robust social-democratic system that has served them quite well the last two decades.

 

[ArthurWilborn]

I'd say "right-wing" in the US tends to describe social conservatives. Neither party has been fiscal conservatives for at least the last decade; maybe not even since the 30s.

 

[ImprobableJoe]

The whole left-wing/right-wing divide covers up a bigger division: the humane/sociopath line. On the sociopath side are most American Republicans and libertarians, and almost all Republican and Democratic politicians. Anyone who puts ideology and political philosophy ahead of the well-being of actual persons is batshit crazy and inhuman, and most of modern politics seems to be seeking to reverse the progress in human rights and freedoms of the past hundred years or so.

 

[ArthurWilborn]

The whole left-wing/right-wing divide covers up a bigger division: the humane/sociopath line. On the sociopath side are most American Republicans and libertarians, and almost all Republican and Democratic politicians. Anyone who puts ideology and political philosophy ahead of the well-being of actual persons is batshit crazy and inhuman, and most of modern politics seems to be seeking to reverse the progress in human rights and freedoms of the past hundred years or so.

Ah, the good old extremist "everyone is an idiot but me" position.

Edit: Content

Paradoxical as it might seem, often the best way to help people is by not helping them. If you give a person aid, from a government or other source, you limit their ability and incentive to create their own solutions and help themselves. If you attempt to have a government help people too much, you create a welfare state. This hurts everyone, including the people it was originally intended to help.

 

[wufwugy]

The right wing looked out to preserve the privileges and economical superiority of the nobility and the clergy.

This isn't really any different than today.

It's often shrouded in social bigotry, but the purpose of the right-wing (at least in the US) is to perpetuate economic royalty

 

[Gnomesmusher]

Ah, the good old extremist "everyone is an idiot but me" position.

Except, that's not what he said. Did you somehow miss where he said "most" Republicans, Libertarians and Democrats? Also Democrats are hardly left wing anymore which leaves the liberals in the US pretty much under represented. Joe certainly isn't calling everyone an idiot when he's just pointing out that the most of the right wing are sociopaths and that includes most of the democrats now.