Far right v far left

[Icanthinkformyselfthanks]

The description ‘ far right’ is banded about quite a bit these days; less so ‘far left’. So I was wondering what do those phrases mean to you?
What in your opinion makes someone far right or far left?

I think the 'real purpose' of the thread, I think, was for the OP to enhance her understanding of political terminology and to find out how other people think. Hence why she asked the question:

The description ‘ far right’ is banded about quite a bit these days; less so ‘far left’. So I was wondering what do those phrases mean to you?
What in your opinion makes someone far right or far left?

And in fairly generic and simplistic terms I answered the question. That was all that was required of me, I believe?

I wasn't aware I could only comment on the basis that I must also work to enhance my own understanding and learn about what other people think. The OP asked for my opinion. She didn't insist that I 'educate myself' by listening to other people's. You sound quite sanctimonious.

I think you have just illustrated by whole post very nicely. Anything right of centre is 'far right' and 'just look around you' to see them everywhere. And as for far left, what far left? They are too small to worry about.

Priceless.

Another specimen who finds basic comprehension difficult. It's strangely prevalent amongst Reform voters. Brexit voter?

Yes, I apologise as I had intended to quote the Oap's response to your post, rather than your post itself. My mistake. My comments were supposed to be addressed to the OP and not to you, as it seems that her actual motivations for the thread may be slightly different from what she initially presented.

If you are able to give a clear and straightforward explanation to the question then please do. What is it you think the OP is 'attempting to do' exactly? Tie you up in knots over definitions? I can see why that might be tricky and you'd rather avoid it.

Ok, apology accepted.

Read my posts where I've engaged. If there's something you don't understand, I'm happy to explain.

Nope, misleading point there.
Far Right and Far left are both very authoritarian and believe in a big state
Far right are authoritarian but not in the cause of a big state - they want a weakened, smaller state and power for big corporations instead, who they argue will do better for everyone (ie rich people). On this point I'd like to know what Reform will do to rein in the power of the tech bros and wealthy businesses owners in the interests of the ordinary folk they claim to speak for.

OP, what 'traditional conservative values' do you feel the current or recent Tories have thrown under the bus?

I'm a good old centrist, suspicious of all extremes.

No not necessarily - if you said that you believed Jews were not integrating into British society and are making British customs and religions disappears then that would be far right thinking (not my personal opinion imo) - now of course some groups may suggest that this is not an unreasonable stance. The difference would be for me If you said explicitly that Jews or other groups were not welcome in this country because of the colour of their skin, that they should go home, that explicit discrimination and physical violence is shown towards them - then to me that’s more extreme right as its overt. It’s a subtle distinction but where a lot of the hyperbole comes about because of the far right - because we assume they are both the same

@Maitri108 , I don’t know enough about them to comment; sorry.

@Maitri108 so seeing as you completely agree with the official definitions of what is far right and left on Google...presumably you wouldn't agree Reform UK are far right then?

@lisa12000 agreed.

Far left hate women but pretend they don’t
Far right hate women but don’t pretend they like them

My other favourite is the right will stab you in the front, the left will stab you in the back.

In simplistic terms that sums it all up for me.

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves , I can’t for the life of me remember the post I saw earlier which prompted me to ask the question. I’m getting on a bit and obviously getting forgetful. I genuinely wanted to canvas people’s opinions in order to try and understand why the word ‘far’ is used to describe certain politics. I was just as interested in what was regarded ‘far’ for right and left equally. After having done my best to listen carefully to any direct answers I received for which I am grateful my conclusion so far is that the use of the word ‘far’ is used far too frequently and not always accurately.

I believe Reform is the party currently favoured by the far right in the UK. Its leader admires Putin, an authoritarian, and their core message is anti immigration and anti Islam

They are supported by people like Musk who openly backs parties like the AfD. Their MPs seem to have very dubious views. I believe some candidates were dropped for blatant racism and far right affiliations. One was on the campaign trail talking about shooting asylum seekers.

I think one of their MPs is currently being investigated for his pro Russian links.

Political terminology is confused terribly by the use of left and right to describe both economic AND socio-cultural beliefs, on the assumption that they automatically go together when often they don't.

So left wing was originally an economic term meaning in favour of wealth redistribution, working towards greater economic equality, a role for the state in reducing the effects of capitalism in causing vast inequality, potentially supporting full socialism or even communism. Then it started being used for being pro social equality: gay rights, women's right etc. but also (confusingly) for a kind of social libertarianism: favouring legalisation of drugs, relaxing of gender roles etc.

Right wing was originally an economic term meaning favouring free market capitalism and a small state with minimal intervention. Then it started being used for social positions often put forward by people alongside this: conservative attitudes to societal norms like family structure, heteronormativity, community cohesion through similar attitudes to religion, social behaviour etc. And when taking that to extremes, racism and bigotry.

What's particularly confusing in relation to the OP is that people tend to use the term "far left" to mean economically extreme (socialist or communist), but "far right" to mean socially extreme (racist, fascist).

It would be conducive to your understanding of the far right if you looked them up. I would be very interested in your opinion.

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves , I wanted to understand why people view certain politics as far anything. I’ve actually as a result shifted my understanding of what I view as far left. I don’t expect nor did I aspire to alter the views of ‘others’.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37274201.amp

According to the BBC, yes.

The Nazis were indisputably racist and fascist and they were certainly socially extreme.

Far right is a label now misused to silence any one speaking out against the dinghy arrivals.

@Icanthinkformyselfthanks for someone who can think for yourself, you’re asking a huge number of questions with simple answers.

Trans activists???

It's this sort of smearing of other people with different opinions to themselves which is why I stopped having anything to do politics four or five years ago. Oh you have a different opinion to me so you're a woke/gammon blah blah blah.....Politics is ugly and it just brings the worst out in a lot of people.

Reform campaigner Andrew Parker on humans arriving in small boats:

“Army recruitment - get the young recruits there, with guns, on the f beach, target practice. F just shoot them."

He also describes Islam as a "disgusting cult".

This does remind me of the Nazi ideology.