Why is it that when people are describing political affiliations the scale that is used is from the left to the right? It amazes me that people can not see the wrongness in using this scale. Why not you north to south or east to west? It seems so wrong to even contemplate that there is a right political affiliation.
Today, this terminology seems to be moving out of just the political realm. Last night my son was taking some sort of online economic quiz. In it was the description that to be a Free Trade economy was the right and a Fascist/Communist was the left.
My whole point is that this terminology is wrong. There should be no right in any scale, just as there should be no wrong. When you think about it, there are parts of every political philosophy that is right and another part that is wrong.
I am definitely an unwavering leftist, God help me if I ever become a right-winger again.
I sort of agree with you, it is not a very 'politically correct' terminology, but it provides for easy categorisation and analysis of political movements and ideologies. (I study politics).
I oppose the mere classification of 'left' and 'right', I prefer:
* Far right / extreme right
* Right-wing
* Centre-right
* Centre
* Centre-left
* Left-wing
* Far left / extreme left.
I would then, accordingly, classify myself as being centre-left, leaning towards left-wing.
And by the way, communism is seen as left-wing. And any form of conservatism as right wing. In that regards Fascism (and Nazism - a form of fascism) is right wing. It propagates conservative values. Classifying Fascism as left is wrong, and in my opinion a way for Americans (those that classify it accordingly) to hide the fact that their right-wing policies are in the same line as fascist policies.
Myself, I am just about as central as politics get. I believe in small governments but I also believe that a small governments main concern should be taking care of the less fortunate.
As a leftist, I believe that the government should be limited as much as possible, to prevent it from enroaching on the basic freedoms of humanity. That was the dilemma that J. S. Mill and other classical liberals faced. They feared the all-powerful government.
