Difference Between Left Wing and Right Wing

Right-wing and left-wing are two opposing political philosophies with conflicting approaches and ideas. The terms "Left-wing" and "Right-wing" originated during the French Revolution, particularly in the 1789 French Estates General sitting arrangement. Revolutionaries, who opposed the monarchy, sat on the left hall of the National Assembly, supporting the French Revolution and the creation of a democratic republic. On the other hand, monarchy-supporting citizens occupied the right hall of the National Assembly, backing the institutions that were already in place. Continue reading to understand the key differences between left and right.

What is Left Wing

The term "left-wing" refers to liberal political parties and their adherents. Left-wing politicians support social equality, as well as issues such as liberty, rights, growth, and progress. They believe that the government's primary objective should be social welfare. Members of left-wing political parties are frequently labeled as socialists, communists, democratic socialists, anarchists, social democrats, social liberals, left-libertarians, and progressives by political analysts.

Left-wing politics support ideas like the welfare state, social equality, central planning, government economic involvement, secularism (the separation of church and state), and anti-free trade protectionism. It usually has progressive opinions on immigration, abortion, and homosexuality.

What is Right Wing

The term "right-wing" refers to a conservative or reactionary political party and its adherents. Right-wing politicians usually oppose wide-ranging political reform and often defend social order and hierarchy on the grounds of natural law, tradition, or economics. They believe that these social structures are inevitable and natural. Members of left-wing political parties are frequently labeled conservatives, neoconservatives, monarchists, imperialists, right-libertarians, and traditionalists.

Right-wing politics place a strong emphasis on ideas like nationality, tradition, responsibility, authority, and order. Right-wing politicians often hold traditional attitudes on issues like immigration, homosexuality, and abortion. They argue that the role of government in the lives and economy of its people should be kept to a minimum. They also back concepts like nationalism, individual liberty, low taxes, limited government interference in the economy, fostering the growth of the private sector, equality for all (without favoring any minority groups), and the maintenance of religious customs and traditions.

Key Differences Between Left-Wing and Right-Wing

Differences between the left wing and right wing are discussed in the following table:

Conclusion

Right- and left-wing are two opposing political philosophies with conflicting approaches and points of view. Right-wing politics refers to a conservative or reactionary political party, whereas left-wing politics refers to a liberal or progressive political party. The right is defined by duty, hierarchy, authority, order, tradition, and nationalism, whereas the left is defined by equality, freedom, rights, progress, and reform. This is the primary difference between the left and right wings.