Centre-left politics: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 09:29, 9 April 2012
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Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum. It excludes far left stances. The term may refer to a position to the left of a centrist position in a given country, or it may refer to a position to the left in some hypothetical global political spectrum.[1]
The main ideologies of the centre-left are progressivism, social liberalism and social democracy, although it can also include democratic socialism and green politics.
Ideologies associated with centre-left
The main ideologies of the centre-left are modern liberalism and social democracy and sometimes democratic Socialism. Throughout the world, the two groups generally support:
- A mixed economy consisting of both private enterprise and publicly owned or subsidised programmes of education, universal health care, child care and related social services for all citizens.
- An extensive system of social security, with the stated goal of counteracting the effects of poverty and insuring the general public against loss of income following illness, unemployment or retirement (National Insurance contributions)
- Equal rights and opportunity.
- Government bodies that regulate private enterprise in the interests of workers and consumers by ensuring labour rights (i.e. supporting worker access to trade unions), consumer protections, and fair market competition.
- A value-added tax and/or progressive taxation system to fund government expenditures.
The term may be used to imply positions on the environment, religion, public morality and so on, but these are usually not the defining characteristics, since centre-right parties may take similar positions on these issues.[2] A centre-left party may or may not be more concerned with reducing industrial emissions than a centre-right party.[3][4][5]
Relative definition
In most European countries with mixed economies, the centre-left would include social democrats, social liberals, progressives and also some democratic socialists and greens.[6][7]
Absolute definition
An "absolute" definition of centre-left refers to a position on some hypothetical global political spectrum. Thus the African National Congress of South Africa terms itself "left", although as the dominant party it is by definition centrist in the South African political spectrum.[8][9] Similarly, the Communist Party of China is centrist in the sense of being the dominant (the only) political party in China, but also characterises itself as "left".[10]
The policies of a party that is centrist or centre-left in one country could be considered right-wing or left-wing in another country. In Hong Kong the "centre" position is far to the right of the "centre" position in the mainland People's Republic of China.[11] The dominant People's Action Party in Singapore would now be considered "right" in an absolute sense compared to other governments in the region, although the party has in the past characterised itself as socialist, or "left".[12] European social democratic policies would be considered right-wing in Cuba and left-wing in the United States.[13][14]
See also
External links
- "Leftist parties of the world". Nico Biver. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
References
- ^ Charles Funderburk, Robert G. Thobaben (May 2011). Political ideologies: left, center, right. Harper & Row. ISBN 0060422114.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|year=/|date=mismatch (help) - ^ John Lloyd (October 2, 2009). "Europe's centre-left suffers in the squeezed middle". Financial Times. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ "Climate action now! Socialist Alliance Climate Change Charter". Socialist Alliance. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ "Spotlight on pollution and the environment". Workers Power. 2008-05-08. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ Tierra Curry (November 6, 2009). "Dirty Coal Czar Confirmed by Senate". Center for Biological Diversity. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ John W. Cioffi and Martin Höpner (21 April 2006). "Interests, Preferences, and Center-Left Party Politics in Corporate Governance Reform" (PDF). Council for European Studies at Columbia University. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ Manfred Ertel, Hans-Jürgen Schlamp and Stefan Simons (2009-09-24). "The Credibility Trap - Europe's Center-Left Parties Stuck in a Dead End". Der Spiegel. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ David Jefferess (2008). Postcolonial resistance: culture, liberation and transformation. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0802091903.
- ^ "ANC Holds Strong Lead in South African Election". VOA News. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
- ^ "The Communist Party of China (CPC)". People's Daily. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
- ^ Keith Bradsher (June 21, 2007). "Thriving Hong Kong capitalism in Communist embrace". New York Time. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ Diane K. Mauzy, Robert Stephen Milne (2002). Singapore politics under the People's Action Party. Routledge. ISBN 0415246520.
- ^ Patricia Grogg (November 14, 2009). "POLITICS-CUBA: Moderate Dissident Group Convenes Congress". IPS Interpress Service. Retrieved 2009-11-14.
- ^ "Just 53% Say Capitalism Better Than Socialism". Rasmussen Reports. April 9, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-14.