Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris
Well we're certainly not going for a false dilemma. 
What defines left- and right-wing then? Is there something in the nature of a policy's supporters that causes the policy to be defined as one thing or another? Or does support for a particular policy cause the supporter to be identified with left or right? Beyond that, is it black and white, or is there a sliding scale of greys? |
Well, my point, which I made earlier in this thread, is that you run into trouble when you try and define the political spectrum in one dimension, as you appear to be doing. The political compass in said thread rightly has two dimensions: left-right and authoritarian-libertarian. The reality is that both left and right wing can be libertarian and authoritarian, but they tend to differ with respect to the things they are authoritarian and libertarian about. You have left-wing and right-wing dictatorships and the right-wing dictatorships aren't characterized by a small state and the celebration of civil liberties.
I'm a left-wing libertarian, meaning that I believe in progressive taxation. I also think that an unfettered market economy will run out of control, so I tend to favour government control in that respect. I belief there should be a safety net, for people who can't provide for themselves. However, I also think that the government has bo business snooping on people or telling them what to do. Does that make me right-wing or liberal/libertarian?