Labeling the Political Spectrum: What is Left and Right? Who is a Conservative or a Liberal?

What does it mean to be on the left or the right of the political spectrum? Why are liberals on the left and conservatives on the right? Where did these definitions originate?

The political use of the terms right and left refer to the seating arrangements of the various law making bodies that existed during the early days of the French Revolution (1789-1796). The representatives of the aristocracy would sit in the seat of honor to the right of the parliamentary speaker, and representatives of the people to the left. Consequently those that were associated with protecting and supporting the old order, namely the monarchy and the church, were labeled right wing. Those agitating for a larger commoner voice in government, less influence of the church in social affairs and for more civil liberties were labeled as left wing.

So now we are stuck with labels that no longer adequately describe a political environment that has evolved by two hundred years. An environment economic evolution has become just as important as social revolution. Are communists really on the opposite ends of the spectrum from fascists or are they more similar than dissimilar? Is America a democracy or a republic?

I have my own opinions, but before I share, I think it would be interesting to look at two other political spectrums that are useful for classifying political ideology. The first is based on the research of Hans Eysenck, a German born Psychologist who tried to understand the similarities between Nazism and Communism. Called the “The Political Compass”, it splits political thought into two dimensions; an economic dimension and a social dimension, and attempts to measure the level of conservatism along each dimension. Interestingly, it show both Stalin and Hitler’s governments to be socially authoritarian, and only moderately different economically, with Hitler’s government allowing more economic freedom. The politicalcompass.org has a 10 minute quiz that can give you an idea on where you stand on this political spectrum.

A different point of view is the Nolan Chart which splits the two axes into degrees of economic freedom and individual freedom. Most Americans would probably identify with the point of views labeled in this chart. The World’s Smallest Political Quiz can give you a good indication on where you stand politically on the Nolan Chart. Famous Science Fiction writer, Jerry Pournelle, has a good modification to the Nolan Chart that you may find interesting.

Ultimately, we need to recognize that these are labels meant to identify where people’s equities lay, not philosophical walls meant to prevent ideological penetration. A social conservative may find that he or she is actually very economically liberal and may have more in common with a social liberal than previously thought. But we can’t make these discoveries until we get past these labels, and we hold up the development of real solutions when we cannot find common ground where all sides of the political spectrum can cooperate.

Interested in your representative in congress’ political views?  Take a look at where his or her voting record in congress places them in the political spectrum. This is based on the views of what left and right are typically considered, i.e. lying both economic and social spectrums next to each other, and the number of bills sponsored or co-sponsored in congress.