Traditional Ranges of Political Views: Far Left to Middle to Far Right

Terms for the ranges of political views are usually paired, with an equivalent term existing for each side, such left-wing and right-wing. You can spot the pairs because the same color is used for each side of the pair, such as left-wing and right-wing, liberal and conservative, with orange used for the extremes from left and right.

 

The terms are listed in order from extreme left  to extreme right:

§  First term (the word communism) = far or extreme left

§  Middle term (the phrase middle of the road) = the middle

§  Last term (the word fascism) = far or extreme right

 

Terms

Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language

communism

2. a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.”

 

Want to check on the term capitalism? Click here.

communist

1. (cap.) a member of the Communist party or movement. 2. an advocate of communism. 3. a person who is regarded as supporting politically leftist or subversive causes.”

socialism

“1. a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole” [1830-40; SOCIAL + ism]

 

Want to check on the term capitalism? Click here.

socialist

1. an advocate or supporter of socialism.”

radical

2. thorough-going or extreme, esp. as regards change from accepted or traditional forms . . . 3. favoring drastic political, economic, or social reforms … ”

 

Caution about Terms: The word radical as a modifier is sometimes used with the word conservative, as in a radical conservative.

left wing

1. members of a liberal or radical political party, or those favoring extensive political reform.”

liberal

1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs…. 4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties. 5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression… 6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies

 

Curious about the word liberal in liberal arts or liberal education? Click on the terms.

 

Want to see what President Eisenhower said about this term? Click here.

middle-of-the-road

1. favoring, following, or characterized by an intermediate position between two extremes, esp. in politics; moderate.”

conservative

1. disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change…. 3. traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness”

 

Caution about Terms: Support for free trade is to liberalize. Click here for the context.

 

Want to see what President Eisenhower said about this term? Click here.

right wing

1. members of a conservative or reactionary political party, or those opposing extensive political reform.”

reactionary

1. of, pertaining to, being marked by, or favoring reaction, esp. extreme conservatism or rightism in politics; opposing political or social change.”

fascism

1. … a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.”

 

Want to check on the term capitalism? Click here.

fascist

1. a person who believes in or sympathizes with fascism. 2. (often cap.) a member of a fascist movement or party. 3. a person who is dictatorial or has extreme right-wing views. … [1915-20]”

 

During the worldwide Great Depression of the 1930s, the US turned to the New Deal, while the right-wing Fascist movements, including the Nazis, grew in Germany (Adolph Hitler) and Italy (Benito Mussolini) as well as Japan. In World War II, the US and other Allied nations fought the Fascists.

Eisenhower on the Terms Liberal and Conservative

 

“’I’m conservative when it comes to money,’ Eisenhower claimed, but ‘liberal when it comes to human beings.’”[1] [Bold added]

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the successful leader of the massive Normandy invasion to reclaim France and Europe from the Nazis in World War II. As the Republican candidate, he was elected President of the United States in 1952 and 1956.

Placing the Term Liberal in Its Many Contexts

Terms

Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language

liberal

1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs…. 4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties. 5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression… 6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies

liberal arts

1. the academic course of instruction at a college intended to provide general knowledge and comprising the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, as opposed to professional or technical subjects…. [1745-55; trans. of L artēs liberälēs works befitting a free man]” [bold added]

liberal education

1. an education based primarily on the liberal arts, emphasizing the development of intellectual abilities as opposed to the acquisition of professional skills [“as a means of livelihood”]. 2. wide experience and education”

liberalize [trade]

A typical example of the phrase liberalize as related to trade is:

“The United States and Brazil during talks this week remained at odds over a hemispheric trade agreement, raising doubts about completing one of the Bush administration’s biggest projects to liberalize commerce. … biggest projects to liberalize commerce. The Bush administration has described the Free Trade Area of the … they must work to liberalize trade at all levels,” - Yahoo search engine results for an article in the Washington Times, October 24, 2003 [bold added]

Basic Terms about Political Systems

The terms are in alphabetical order.

Terms

Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language

aristocracy

“1. a class of person holding exceptional rank or privileges, esp. the hereditary nobility. 2. a government or state ruled by an aristocracy, elite, or privileged upper class.”

democracy

1. government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. 2. a state having such a form of government … 3. a state of society characterized by formal equality; democratic spirit.”

empire

1. a group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign or government; usually a territory of greater extent than a kingdom . . . 2. a government under an emperor or empress.”

kingdom

1. a state or government having a king or queen as its head. 2. anything conceived as constituting a realm or sphere of independent action or control …”

kings, divine right of

“the right to rule derived directly from God, not from the consent of the people [1735-45]”

[Note: The last time an English king tried to act on this view, the English invited a replacement to take the throne.]

monarchy

1. a state or nation in which the supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in a monarch.”

republic [a representative government]

1. a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.”

[Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution:The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government . . .”]

theocracy

1. a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God’s or deity’s laws being interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities. 2. a system of government by priests claiming a divine commission.”

Additional Terms

Term

Online American Heritage Dictionary

capitalism

NOUN: An economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately owned and development is proportionate to the accumulation and reinvestment of profits gained in a free market.

 

Terms

Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language

change

“v.t. 1. to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc. of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.”

conserve

“v.t. 1. to prevent injury, decay, waste, or loss of”

preserve

“v.t. 1. to keep alive or in existence; make lasting…3. to keep up; maintain”

 

Caution about Terms: Labeling something as in existence does not mean that it actually existed before. It may be different from what worked before. (That’s one of the reasons that studying history is a requirement for college graduates.)

progress

“n. 1. a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage”

 

Caution about Terms: Labeling some action as progressdoes not make that action automatically a “higher stage.”

reform

“v.t. 1. to change to a better state, form, etc.”

Caution about Terms: Labeling a change as reform does not make that action automatically a “better state, form.”

 


 

Copyright C. J. Bibus, Ed.D. 2005

 

WCJC Department:

History – Dr. Bibus

Contact Information:

281.239.1577 or cjb_classes@yahoo.com

Last Updated:

2005

WCJC Home:

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[1] Quoted in Ayers, American Passages, p. 766.