# Right? Left? what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590 "2005-05-05T20:30:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/1 "2005-05-05T20:30:36Z")
Who’s right? Who’s left? What are they right or left of? In political circles, a Conservative is a down the middle kind of guy, yes? So, is he the guy that people branch off of to be right or left? What of the Liberal…where does he stand in the mix? Help confuse me more with your definitions. ---
**Author:** ![pasunejen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@pasunejen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pasunejen)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/2 "2005-05-05T20:33:21Z")
Actually, I believe the middle guy you’re talking about would be referred to as a moderate. Generally, conservative=right and liberal=left. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/3 "2005-05-05T20:39:15Z")
In America, conservatives are considered “right wing” and liberals are considered “left wing” (or right and left). Moderates are right down the middle. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/4 "2005-05-05T20:44:55Z")
Most people think in terms of a continuum or scale, with “moderates” in the middle, “liberals” on the left and “conservatives” on the right. On either side there are extremists who are way out on the ends, and others who are closer to the middle. In general I have found that “moderate conservatives” have much more in common with “moderate liberals” than they do with extreme right wing conservatives. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/5 "2005-05-05T20:49:41Z")
Left/Right has been meaningless since the French Revolution, where the terms originated. Take [this quiz](http://www.self-gov.org/quiz.html) and see where you land on a better grid. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/6 "2005-05-05T21:30:23Z")
Agreed with **silenus**. Liberalism is as much a ‘right-wing’ attitude as it is left. Socialism and liberalism don’t necessarily mix well, whereas free-market policies depend on a liberal economy and workforce. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/7 "2005-05-05T22:10:09Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Liberalism is as much a ‘right-wing’ attitude as it is left. And in fact the main conservative political party in Australia is called the Liberal party. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/8 "2005-05-06T00:15:41Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > And in fact the main conservative political party in Australia is called the Liberal party. That’s why I tried to point out “in America”. I know very little about Australia or Australian politics, but I do know that one. 🙂 (I’m a bit fascinated with Australia…) ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/9 "2005-05-06T02:52:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Left/Right has been meaningless since the French Revolution, where the terms originated. The terms came from where different factions sat in legislative bodies in Europe, particulary in France. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/10 "2005-05-06T03:42:38Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Left/Right has been meaningless since the French Revolution, where the terms originated. > > Take [this quiz](http://www.self-gov.org/quiz.html) and see where you land on a better grid. 😃 Can we _please_ stop pretending that this quiz, which is essentially a marketing tool for libertarianism, is some sort of objective basis to evaluate politics? Political views don’t fit into some abstract grid any better than they do onto a line, no matter what the Libertarians say. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/11 "2005-05-06T04:02:30Z")
I didn’t say it was _perfect_, **Ex**. I said it was _better_. You have to have some basis or scale for comparison, or all political discussion is useless. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/12 "2005-05-06T05:01:09Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I didn’t say it was _perfect_, **Ex**. I said it was _better_. You have to have some basis or scale for comparison, or all political discussion is useless. 😃 Yeah, but I think it’s dangerous to use something with a strong agenda attached to it as a basis for comparison. Hell, the thing tells _me_ I’m a libertarian, and you can bet I’m not. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/13 "2005-05-06T11:42:08Z")
> [@pasunejen](#): > > Actually, I believe the middle guy you’re talking about would be referred to as a moderate. Generally, conservative=right and liberal=left. There’s also “centrism.” Which is like being a moderate, only angrier. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/14 "2005-05-06T13:15:19Z")
From a UK point of view, US Democrats are centre-right and Republicans pretty rightwing. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/15 "2005-05-06T14:22:19Z")
> [@glee](#): > > From a UK point of view, US Democrats are centre-right and Republicans pretty rightwing. Canada gets a closer view, and usually puts both of those a little farther right than you do. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/16 "2005-05-06T14:29:29Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Yeah, but I think it’s dangerous to use something with a strong agenda attached to it as a basis for comparison. Hell, the thing tells _me_ I’m a libertarian, and you can bet I’m not. [One less obvious.](http://www.politicalbrew.com/politest.cgi)😃 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/17 "2005-05-06T14:30:36Z")
> [@rjk](#): > > Canada gets a closer view, and usually puts both of those a little farther right than you do. Absolutley. Both main US parties are way to the right of anything in mainstream Britain (or most of Europe). ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/18 "2005-05-06T16:26:20Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Agreed with **silenus**. Liberalism is as much a ‘right-wing’ attitude as it is left. Socialism and liberalism don’t necessarily mix well, whereas free-market policies depend on a liberal economy and workforce. So, in a French Revolution context, what is “left-wing” as opposed to right-wing? If I infer correctly, it seems that socialism is left while you point out that liberals, at least these days, are certainly not socialists in the American political sphere. I could of course be wrong. You miss things like this in SF public schools. I tell ya… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/19 "2005-05-06T16:47:45Z")
Seating in the various assemblies during the French Revolution was based on social standing. The 1st Estate (clergy) entered first, and sat to the far right. Then the 2nd Estate (nobility, by precedence). That filled the rest of the “right wing.” Then the 3rd Estate, again by social standing, with the least of the representatives holding down the far left. Since degree of satisfaction with the Acien Regime kinda matched the spread, “left-wing” came to be associated with those most eager with change, and “right-wing” with those who are most resistant to it. This seating arrangement was echoed in a number of places in Europe, as well. But the major boost and such was from the French Revolution. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590/20 "2005-05-06T17:16:20Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Seating in the various assemblies during the French Revolution was based on social standing. The 1st Estate (clergy) entered first, and sat to the far right. Then the 2nd Estate (nobility, by precedence). That filled the rest of the “right wing.” Then the 3rd Estate, again by social standing, with the least of the representatives holding down the far left. Since degree of satisfaction with the Acien Regime kinda matched the spread, “left-wing” came to be associated with those most eager with change, and “right-wing” with those who are most resistant to it. > > This seating arrangement was echoed in a number of places in Europe, as well. But the major boost and such was from the French Revolution. Even during the French Revolution period this was being modified, with the more radical members referred to as the Montagnards because they sat together in the upper seats. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-left-what/302590.md?page=2)