How did the political right and the left come to be?

The_Great_Zamboni · September 29, 2002, 2:28am

How have certain ideologies become associated with the right and the left, and for that matter, how did the terms “right and left” originate to differenciate between ideologies?

The_Great_Zamboni · September 29, 2002, 2:29am

BTW, if this becomes inconclusive, I’ll just ask the master.

The_Stafford_Cripps · September 29, 2002, 2:37am

The French post revolutionary assembly, I believe: it describes the Speaker’s point of view regarding where the various political groupings sat.

bibliophage · September 29, 2002, 2:43am

Too late. Somebody already asked him. http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_321.html

The_Great_Zamboni · September 29, 2002, 3:02am

Well, I got my answer, I guess. I was kind of hoping for a long debate though.

OK, new question. Why did the French national assembly of 1789 pick this certain layout of seating?