Why are some parties considered "left" (when they really aren't)?

[KrazyRabidSheep]

The McCain quote thread touched up on this, but I thought it deserved a thread of it's own (since it affects the reputation of true leftists to be thrown in the same category as these clowns.)

Why are so many parties and individuals (such as the Democratic party in the U.S.) considered "left"?

Here are some charts (I don't agree with all of them 100%, but they present the general idea.)

U.S.
http://www.politicalcompass.org/usprimaries2008
http://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection
U.K.
http://www.politicalcompass.org/extremeright
Canada
http://www.politicalcompass.org/canada2005
Australia
http://www.politicalcompass.org/aus2007
New Zealand
http://www.politicalcompass.org/nz2005
Germany
http://www.politicalcompass.org/germany2005
Ireland
http://www.politicalcompass.org/ireland
EU
http://www.politicalcompass.org/euchart

[Decolonize The Left]

It is due to an over-simplification. By constructing the 'center' as 'left vs. right,' what is a vastly complex web of social theories has become a simple black and white situation.

Hence it is easier to maintain the apathy and compliance of a large group of people by insinuating that political discourse can only occur through basic venues - namely those venues which will bring about little substantive change.

- August

[Abluegreen7]

If theres one party claiming to be left but they arent itd be CPUSA. One of the most leftist parties would have to be the Farc there not in the US though.

[oujiQualm]

If theres one party claiming to be left but they arent itd be CPUSA. One of the most leftist parties would have to be the Farc there not in the US though.

-----

Good question . I think that usully its because of constricted media environment. Today they will maybe show a protestor like Cindy Shean yelling something for threee seconds while she is being dragged into a police van. THere will BE NO OTHER EVEN REMOTELY LEFT ORGANISM ON CNN FOR THE ENTIRE REST OF THE YEAR. Then one of their AIE oil funded newsanchors will call Nanci Pelosi a leftist!!!

We need to attack the corporate media where others can see it. That is the real election and its always for war and billionaires!

Also the liberal media ""reform " groups like FAIR are fake. They only want you to go onto some "alternative" newsource, like with maybe 13 people and a cat watching. This means there will be no CIRITICAL MASS -- group large enough with a shared vocabulary and common denominator of ideas that could challenge the two capitalist war parties.

Real media chang would involve CHALLENGING THE CORPORATE MEDIA IN FRONT OF THOSE WHO STILL WATCH IT, IE IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE

[Charles Xavier]

The CPUSA are left wing, they do have ideological issues which need to be sorted out. By they are a left organization.

Left and right are depend on how one stands on the current state of affairs. Increased rights and wealth for the workers = left Decreased Rights and Privileges for the working class = right.

The Democratic party and the Republican party are both right wing. just in varying shades.

The next election will have working people lose and big business win.

[KrazyRabidSheep]

I posed the question, but haven't dropped my two cents in yet:

I agree with August's point, but I also think it has to do with humanity's desire to categorize all sorts of silly things (such as race; dog's don't categorize themselves by breeds.)

In a nation where there is little or no leftist influence, it is simpler to label the more moderate parties as "left"; it emphasizes the differences, so the parties do not mold into one blurry mass.

There is also ignorance. In nations where there is little/no left, the slightly more moderate parties seem "left" by comparison when the population hasn't been exposed to true leftists groups.

[Anarch_Mesa]

It is due to an over-simplification. By constructing the 'center' as 'left vs. right,' what is a vastly complex web of social theories has become a simple black and white situation.


I agree with this. In fact I think that Left and Right are just "made up" I mean when it really comes down to it Republican and Democrat Presidents are the same person with a different face, yet most people are die hard either side and refuse to even look at the others thoughts and opinions. I think that people need to "think outside the box" and have their own ideas instead of choosing a side.

[Comrade B]

The democrats are the left of the right, if that makes any sense.
They are, in comparison to their main opposition, the left.

[Abluegreen7]

I wouldnt call them left wouldnt they be Center?

[GPDP]

You can hardly call the Democrats centrists. They're still very much right-wing, just less so than the Republicans, who are borderline fascist (well, maybe not quite... but sometimes they get damn close).

[Abluegreen7]

The closet they got to facist dare I say the B word. Bush. Ick Im going to wash my mouth out with soap.