There is no 'left' in American government, there is only differing degrees of right.
Left wing does not mean more government, in fact at its extreme, anarchism, there is no government.
The original political meanings of ‘left’ and ‘right’ have changed since their origin in the French estates general in 1789. There the people sitting on the left could be viewed as more or less anti-statists with those on the right being state-interventionists of one kind or another. In this interpretation of the pristine sense, libertarianism was clearly at the extreme left-wing.
www.la-articles.org.uk...
Right-wing has always meant authority, state control. Left-wing being libertarianism, anti-state.
As is well known, anarchists use the terms “libertarian”, “libertarian socialist” and “libertarian communist” as equivalent to “anarchist” and, similarly, “libertarian socialism” or “libertarian communism” as an alternative for “anarchism.” This is perfectly understandable, as the anarchist goal is freedom, liberty, and the ending of all hierarchical and authoritarian institutions and social relations.
anarchism.pageabode.com...
You have all been conditions to support the 'right', conservatives, in order to maintain government, not reduce it. The right has always been about centralized and authoritative government. Extreme right wing is fascism.
www.historylearningsite.co.uk...
right wing
right wing
noun
1.
members of a conservative or reactionary political party, or those opposing extensive political reform.
2.
such a political party or a group of such parties.
3.
that part of a political or social organization advocating a conservative or reactionary position: The union's right wing favored a moderate course of action.
dictionary.reference.com...
Traditionally the right allows the government to do what it wants to maintain the status quo. The right were state-interventionists meaning they support state intervention in the economy, nationalism, not worker control as in socialism for example. If you are for government reform, as in less government, that would put you on the left.
edit on 12/18/2011 by ANOK because: typo
