Political Parties- Left Wing and Right Wing Flashcards
Left wing
ideologies, ideas and policies that are associated with socialism, including redistribution of income, regulation of the excesses of capitalism, protection for workers rights, a stress on state welfare and state control of some major industries.
Right wing
Ideologies, ideas and policies that promote free market capitalism and acceptance of social and economic inequality, and that advocate a limited role for the state, including low taxation and welfare levels, the promotion of free markets and a hard line on crime and, in relation to security and preventing terrorism, a preference for the collective rights of the community over individual human rights.
Left wing ideas
Redistributing income from rich to poor through taxation and welfare as well as a generous minimum wage.
Strong support for the welfare state and opposition to private-sector involvement in the provision of such services.
Support for workers’ rights and trade union power, and the protection of workers’ rights in such areas as job security, fair contracts and good working conditions.
The state should run industries which are vital to society and the economy, typically energy, rail and the mail system.
Support for measures designed to create equality of opportunity, largely education, which is mainly funded by general taxation.
A focus on equal rights for all groups in society, especially women and minorities.
Support for aid to poorer countries.
Right wing ideas
Low levels of personal and corporate taxation to encourage private enterprise and to create incentives to work.
Keeping welfare benefits relatively low as an incentive for people to find work and not become too dependent on the state. Extreme right-wing views include the replacement of the welfare state with private insurance.
The state should not interfere with the working of the economy save for exceptional circumstances.
Private enterprise would run key industries more efficiently than the state. Support for free markets in goods, finance and labour, including reducing trade union power.
Promote a free market approach to education with an acceptance of private schooling.
A strong emphasis on law and order.
A focus on national unity and patriotism.
