# right winged/ left winged

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-winged-left-winged/189907>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 21, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-winged-left-winged/189907 "2003-07-21T13:56:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gerikel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/858c86/32.png) [@gerikel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gerikel)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-winged-left-winged/189907/1 "2003-07-21T13:56:02Z")

</div>

what is the difference between right winged and left winged in political terms?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2003, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/right-winged-left-winged/189907/2 "2003-07-21T14:25:06Z")

</div>

As [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=109832) discussed, the terms originated with the seating arrangements of the French Revolutionary parliament.

The differences in practice these days are open to interpretation and will depend on your own position on the political spectrum. I expect this thread will get moved to Great Debates before long.