Question

[Sinister Intents]

Is there such a thing as extreme center politics? Who would be considered center and other things you can think of that pertain to my stoned question?

[Taters]

I suppose neoliberalism is the obvious answer. It posits itself as a reasonable alternative between two extremes (laissez-faire capitalism and central planning).
I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'extreme', though. Do you mean militant or violent? No organizations that identify as 'center' have, like, guerrilla groups or something. At least, not as far as I know.

[Trap Queen Voxxy]

Third Positionists/Fascists make this claim and could conceivably fit I guess.

[Hit The North]

I suppose neoliberalism is the obvious answer. It posits itself as a reasonable alternative between two extremes (laissez-faire capitalism and central planning).


Neoliberalism is right-wing and against central planning.

The "centre" is just a disguise for the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. As is the "right" and all the "left" which is to right of the revolutionary left.

But by its very nature, the "centre" is moderate in all things but particularly when it comes to challenging the crimes of capitalism. It is rule through compromise and depends on the uncritical acquiescence and apathy of those who are being ruled over.

[Prometeo liberado]

From a Dialectical perspective I can't see it being so.

[LOLseph Stalin]

Extreme centrism? I always thought of centrism as the rejection of extremism on both sides, so no I don't think this is possible. However, I see some ways how fascist economics could be considered "centre" despite them taking a radical right-wing stance on everything else.

[Red Commissar]

Not the best of things but on wikipedia it redirects to "Radical Center" which I think fits the phenomenon better.

In general people who claim to be centrist or some variation thereof ("Purple politics" as some in the US have taken to calling it) think politics comes down more to posturing and demagogues than implementation. The sentiment is not bad but thinking that they somehow have an objectively correct political revelation that the rest of the world missed out on is dense. Though that can be said for any of us interested in politics sometimes.

[Q]

That just completely depends on what you define as 'center'. There are three definitions that spring up from the top of my head:
- Mainstream bourgeois parties in countries that have proportional elections: In countries with proportional elections (the Netherlands being the most 'pure' example of that) there is a multitude of bourgeois parties and coalitions are the norm. The mainstream parties, normally forming these coalitions, are called 'the center'. In this context, it's silly to talk about an 'extreme center' though.
- Parties that vacillate between reform and revolution: This is how Trotskyists mainly understand the term 'centrism'. It is specifically used to indicate those parties that claim to be revolutionary but are reformist in practice. It is a common slur in these circles, often meaning very little. Again, 'extreme center' would mean nothing here.
- Marxist mass parties: These parties follow what is sometimes called a 'center strategy' which means they oppose leftwing impatience in simply calling for a general strike and try to win power through that, but also oppose the rightwing which corrupts itself through participating in elections. The center then is for a strategy of patiently building an alternative mass power, it is the politically organised proletariat. The classic example here is the pre-1914 SPD, which was a model in quite a few countries, like in Russia where it was emulated by the Bolsheviks under Russian policestate conditions. In this case, it could make sense to talk of an 'extreme center', in the sense that it strictly opposes leftwing and rightwing alternatives.

Anyway, I think it is somewhat of a strange term, presumably a counterposition to 'extreme left' and 'extreme right'. As you put it, a stoner question.

[Brutus]

- Marxist mass parties: These parties follow what is sometimes called a 'center strategy' which means they oppose leftwing impatience in simply calling for a general strike and try to win power through that, but also oppose the rightwing which corrupts itself through participating in elections. The center then is for a strategy of patiently building an alternative mass power, it is the politically organised proletariat. The classic example here is the pre-1914 SPD, which was a model in quite a few countries, like in Russia where it was emulated by the Bolsheviks under Russian policestate conditions. In this case, it could make sense to talk of an 'extreme center', in the sense that it strictly opposes leftwing and rightwing alternatives.

Yes, but these "left wing and right wing alternatives" refer to the left and right wings of Marxism. So it's "extreme" in the sense that it's Marxist ("forcible overthrow of existing social conditions" seems pretty extreme), and centrist only when it's placed on the left-right scale of Marxism.

[Crabbensmasher]

I've always thought it occurred when the traditional parties are poised further to the left or right. Then, usually, a newcomer claims itself as "centre", thereby becoming the "radical" party. I want to say it's happened in some South American countries (or Mexico) but I have no facts to back that up. Just a feeling.

[ckaihatsu]

Neoliberalism is right-wing and against central planning.

The "centre" is just a disguise for the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. As is the "right" and all the "left" which is to right of the revolutionary left.

But by its very nature, the "centre" is moderate in all things but particularly when it comes to challenging the crimes of capitalism. It is rule through compromise and depends on the uncritical acquiescence and apathy of those who are being ruled over.


Ideologies & Operations -- Left Centrifugalism

http://s6.postimage.org/zc8b2rb3h/110211_Ideologies_Operations_Left_Centrifug.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/zc8b2rb3h/)