Does The US Still Have Left-Wing Politics?
This is the question that is asked by a good number of people especially those who feel that the world’s super power is slowly switching back to a form of rule which is in support of right wing politics. In order to answer this question successfully, it is always a perfect idea to consider a number of things. Most notably, it is pertinent to consider the various faculties of left-wing politics and to determine whether each of the faculties is prevalent in the US political system. This is actually just one of the many ways to look at it. The other way to look at the matter is to consider the various outcomes of the implementation of left-wing politics in a political system and to figure out whether each of the outcomes has materialized in the US political system. The latter method is much easier since it dwells on merely identifying the attributes of left-wing politics within a specific political system. In this case, merely finding out whether any of the attributes of left-wing politics can be found in the US political system is enough.
What are left-wing politics?
The term left-wing politics was actually first used in France following the French Revolution between 1789 and 1799.
When it was first used, it referred to a certain seating arrangement which characterized the Estate General; it featured individuals who sat on the left and those who sat on the right. On the left, there were individuals who were not in support of the monarchy and its form of leadership. They were in support of the rule of law which is centered on the people and values secularism. On the other hand, those on the right were proponents of the monarchy system of government. Since its coning, the term has been applied to a number of situations and movements including the fight for human rights and gender equality. Its formal us
age came during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and it remains in use up to this day.
To know more about left wing politics switch to “Varieties of Left-Wing Politics That Can Be Found In the US”.
Major attributes of left-wing politics
Now that you fully understand what left-wing politics refer to and how the term was brought on board, you may be interested in knowing what the major attributes of these politics are. The following are the most notable features of all left-wing politics:
Centered on democratic leadership; left-wing politics are renowned for their emphasis on serving the interests of the people. Unlike a state centered form of leadership, all the decisions made by a government which operates within a left-wing political system are in the best interest of the people. The leaders are democratically elected and their decisions can be challenged by the people as often as the need arises.
Secularism is prominent; in a country that operates by the principles of a left-wing political system, the secularization of the state is very important. Different movements are allowed to exist without the interference of the state. Further, various human rights are recognized and respected.
The economy is liberal; liberalization of the economy is important in a country that is run by a left-wing political system. This was also a prominent feature in French state which was ushered in following the revolution.
The US and left-wing politics; answering the question
It is perhaps time to give an answer to the question which is heading this passage. Based on the information above and what is known about US politics, this will not be difficult to answer.
Rulers are democratically elected; as indicated earlier; left-wing politics embrace democracy. This is something that is strongly emphasized. In the US, a significant fraction of the leaders are elected democratically.
The country embraces a free market economy; a free market economy means the liberalization of the economy. It refers to an economic system in which market players enjoy a significant measure of freedom ranging from fixing prices to varying quantities of products made within a certain time frame. Although the US is mainly a mixed economy, it is predominantly liberal and only characterized by minimal intervention from the state.
Secularism has been embraced; the US is by far one of the most secularized states. It embraces human freedom and maintains that the decisions of the state shall not be biased towards religious beliefs.