What qualifies as "left wing"?

[Umeria]

I've noticed that this is somewhat of an ongoing conversation here, so I thought I'd try to settle this once and for all. When you think of the "left" as a concept, what comes to mind? Is there a formal definition that we should adhere to? How much should the classification of people or policies as left wing influence our analysis of those things?

Personally, I'd consider social democracy and anything left of that to be on the left, but more in terms of what "camp" people fall into when it comes to elections/organizing/etc. than any strict classification. I'm curious what everyone else thinks.

[Vistulange]

Sorry, how is this substantially going to be different from the left-wing discussion thread or the "left-wing extremism" thread?

The radicals are going to come in and say that their brand of the ideology is the one true way and that everybody else is an undesirable, the moderates will stay silent, there'll be some flaming, and then moderation is going to lock the thread for being a reiteration of one of those two threads, or both.

[Umeria]

Sorry, how is this substantially going to be different from the left-wing discussion thread or the "left-wing extremism" thread?

It's more specific?

[Sweden 2022 RP]

Sorry, how is this substantially going to be different from the left-wing discussion thread or the "left-wing extremism" thread?

The radicals are going to come in and say that their brand of the ideology is the one true way and that everybody else is an undesirable, the moderates will stay silent, there'll be some flaming, and then moderation is going to lock the thread for being a reiteration of one of those two threads, or both.

Yes, the mods should and probably will lock it.

On topic, left wing is anything left on the political spectrum. Sure, the first thing I think is Communism, but it's just left wing ideologies in general.

[Vistulange]

Sorry, how is this substantially going to be different from the left-wing discussion thread or the "left-wing extremism" thread?

It's more specific?

It really isn't, though. It's basically, "are these [in the poll] left-wing or not? Discuss!" which...is practically a LWDT.

[Port Caverton]

Any socialist ideology, regardless on whenever they're DemSocs, Marxist-Leninists or AnComs.

[Umeria]

It's more specific?

It really isn't, though. It's basically, "are these [in the poll] left-wing or not? Discuss!" which...is practically a LWDT.

To be honest I wasn't around when the LWDT existed, so I'm not exactly sure what we're supposed to avoid. This seemed like it complied with the rules.

[Risottia]

Personally, I'd consider social democracy

Social democracy is left of centre but not left wing, since Bad Godesberg.

Also anarchists come in a lot of variants, including ancaps. So, no, anarchy isn't necessarily left-wing.

[Baigalia]

What qualifies as left wing, to me, is something that is related to liberalism and democracy. That's about it.

I don't consider communism and socialism "left wing"; rather, I believe it would be in the "far-left wing" of the plane.

[Sweden 2022 RP]

What qualifies as left wing, to me, is something that is related to liberalism and democracy. That's about it.

I don't consider communism and socialism "left wing"; rather, I believe it would be in the "far-left wing" of the plane.

That's still "left" though, if I walk backwards 30 steps I'm not going a different direction, I'm still going backwards, just further backwards.

Bad analogy sure, but you get the point. No matter what a left ideology IS left, whether far left, centre left or just left.

[Cuba 2022 RP]

Sorry, how is this substantially going to be different from the left-wing discussion thread or the "left-wing extremism" thread?

The radicals are going to come in and say that their brand of the ideology is the one true way and that everybody else is an undesirable, the moderates will stay silent, there'll be some flaming, and then moderation is going to lock the thread for being a reiteration of one of those two threads, or both.

Yes, the mods should and probably will lock it.

On topic, left wing is anything left on the political spectrum. Sure, the first thing I think is Communism, but it's just left wing ideologies in general.

This is a dumb answer.

Leftism is when something is leftist!

It’s like answering “whats X” with “X is X”

This, I think, is an interesting question, it’s asking the definition of leftism, like, a solid definition.

[Crimson Tree]

Well, if I had a bird, the wing on the left side...
Oh, wrong left-wing!

[Sordhau]

Your poll's terminology is all over the place tbh.

Like Libertarian - there's a Right-wing and Left-wing form of Libertarianism. The former is more common in the US, and is what most people think of when they think of "Libertarianism", whereas the latter includes less famous figures like Rosa Luxemburg.

Anarchism has a similar problem. There are Leftist and Rightist versions of Anarchism. The former are more common than the latter, but the latter do exist. Usually in living memes like Anarcho-Capitalism.

[Western Theram]

As much as radicals hate to hear it social democracy and anything that furthers an ideology of social and economic equality qualifies as left-wing. It’s one of the most common type of leftist party. Liberalism and libertarian are vague as they can be considered right-wing unless you specify left libertarianism. That’s also why some say the U.S. doesn’t have a legitimate left-wing party

[Umeria]

Your poll's terminology is all over the place tbh.

Like Libertarian - there's a Right-wing and Left-wing form of Libertarianism. The former is more common in the US, and is what most people think of when they think of "Libertarianism", whereas the latter includes less famous figures like Rosa Luxemburg.

Anarchism has a similar problem. There are Leftist and Rightist versions of Anarchism. The former are more common than the latter, but the latter do exist. Usually in living memes like Anarcho-Capitalism.

Unfortunately it only let me enter 10 options. I'd say assume they're the more common varieties.

[Shermania]

Broadly speaking, the left wing is any ideology that seeks to reform or advance society and the state. Whereas the right wing is any ideology that seeks to maintain the status quo, or return to a previous status quo.

If the left wing seems more diverse than the right wing, it is only because of the inherent difficulty in choosing a way forward. Whereas moving back is comparably simple.

[Port Caverton]

The poll considers Fascism to be more leftist than Marxism...

[Cuba 2022 RP]

Two questions

1, how does market socialism have more votes than communism on the poll

2, how is fascism winning?

[Diarcesia]

It's the wing of an aircraft fitted with the red navigation lights.

Oh, you mean the political ideology? The common theme is that they involve some sort of state-enforced (re)distribution of resources economically, and a more laissez-faire attitude towards citizens' identity and behavior socially.

[Bovad]

Anticapitalism

[Alcala-Cordel]

I really hope the people who answered "fascism" are joking.

[Diarcesia]

I really hope the people who answered "fascism" are joking.

National Socialism, it's in the name.

[El Lazaro]

Leftism is when you argue about what leftism is

[Bovad]

I really hope the people who answered "fascism" are joking.

National Socialism, it's in the name.

I remind those people to support the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

[Drongonia]

It depends on who you ask, like most things.