NationStates Jolt Archive

What type of lefty are you?

Why are you better than the other branches?

Are liberals actually lefties?

Discuss. Debate. Decapitate.

I don't know the exact definitions of many of those.

I'm probably a Democratic Socialist. I can't say for sure, though.

Depends on your definition of "Liberal". U.S. Liberals, for the most part, are lefties. There are some, however, who just say they're "Liberals", when they're actually Centrists.

I'm an "I don't understand what a third of those poll options mean" leftist :p

In seriousness, I'd say I'm a democratic socialist. I wouldn't say I'm better than other branches, and I'm not sure if liberal=lefty.

Well, if I had to pick out of those, I put trotskyist. European history, for me, was almost a sad novel, with the valiant trotsky being overshadowed and eventually killed by the evil stalin...

I'm write with my left hand, but I throw with my right. Would that make me a lefty or a righty?

I'm write with my left hand, but I throw with my right. Would that make me a lefty or a righty?
it makes you scum. i think we can all agree on that.

I gave up subscribing to ism's a long time ago. They're more of a hindrance than anything else. In my experience, change is a slow thing, and the only way to achive it is through compromise.

I guess the ism that best describes me is anarchism. I have no illusions on imposing such a state on society at large, and I can't see how it would be a change for the better.

I've found that the easiest way to make society bearable is to form small active societies of likeminded people inside it. Societies where we can help eachother achive what we want.. Finding places to live, finding work, making a scene, persuing some art shit. All the crap that's all but impossible out in the real world.

Ideally I hope to have enough money some day to buy a small island somewhere. A place to live without current social restrictions. The only real drawback to that idea is how to get medical help.. Anyway, it prolly won't be realistic for another 15 years.

Edit: Liberal? Can mean both. Prolly means you're schizo

I voted Christian Socialist, mainly because I'm a Christian and a Socialist. But after voting I realized I should have gone with Trotskyism since I believe Church and State should be seperated and I agree with most of Trotsky's ideals compared to Lenin or Marx. Oh well.... :headbang:

I voted Christian Socialist, mainly because I'm a Christian and a Socialist. But after voting I realized I should have gone with Trotskyism since I believe Church and State should be seperated and I agree with most of Trotsky's ideals compared to Lenin or Marx. Oh well.... :headbang:
Id say Trotsky's ideas were the natural progression of marxist-leninist ideals as opposed to an competing political theory

anarcho-communist here
or "libertarian communism"

Im a Christian Liberal Democratic Socialist. So I put other.

The democratic socialists are rocking out on these boards.

The democratic socialists are rocking out on these boards.
Indeed you are. May I ask why you find democracy so appealing, or is that hijacking?

is democratic socialism the belief that the same principal of collective choice democracy brings to political life should be brought to economic life as well? because in that event, it totally deserves to be winning.

is democratic socialism the belief that the same principal of collective choice democracy brings to political life should be brought to economic life as well? because in that event, it totally deserves to be winning.
More or less, yes.

Democratic socialism is a broad political movement propagating the ideals of socialism within the context of a democratic system. In many cases, its adherents promote the ideal of socialism as an evolutionary process resulting from legislation enacted by a parliamentary democracy. Other democratic socialists favor a revolutionary approach that seeks to establish socialism by creating a non-parliamentary democratic system, usually based on workers councils or similar organizations.

The Scandinavian countries are pretty good examples of functioning Socialist Democracies

Depends on your definition of "Liberal". U.S. Liberals, for the most part, are lefties. There are some, however, who just say they're "Liberals", when they're actually Centrists.
In Canada the Liberals are right-wing.

I'm a liberal green one.

Go Trotsky
Go Trotsky
It's ya birfday
Not for real real
Just for play play

Fascist. Because its the only revolutionary system to stay loyal to the people in history.

I'm a Green Democratic Socialist with a sprinkling of Trotsky.

Fascist. Because its the only revolutionary system to stay loyal to the people in history.
I was under the impression that both socialist democracies and anarchist societies have stayed loyal to the people.

Incidentially, I've yet to see a fascist society without a downright evil dictator. Where's the loyalty you're talking about?

1) Im not actually a democratic socialist- im a proud trot
2) Fascists aren't left wing

Who said anything about Fascists being lefties?! :eek:

Liberal doesnt necessarily mean left. In Britain I think our Liberals are Left but of course if there was a state in which everything made of wood was illegal and someone said they should make chairs legal, that would be liberal. Liberal just implies that they have views that change should be made, though generally towards left wing ideals.

Fascists arent left wing, they are just socialist - Its not the same thing

If fascism is not left wing, neither is Anarcho-Syndacalism. Social Democracies become puppets for the same old reactionary force, and anarchists have never managed to make a single state work.

If fascism is not left wing, neither is Anarcho-Syndacalism. Social Democracies become puppets for the same old reactionary force, and anarchists have never managed to make a single state work.

What precisely has fascism got to do with anarcho-syndicalism? The difference would be the authoritarianism for one!

They use the same economic system for one. Fascism is an authoritarian version of syndacalism.

They use the same economic system for one. Fascism is an authoritarian version of syndacalism.

Well authoritarianism is a critical part of right wing policy. I understand the similarity of fascism to socialism, but fascism is not left wing. Nationalism is not left wing.

well to be truthfull, I really find the left/right scale an imprecise system. When asked if I'm left wing or right wing I answer "left" because although its not a perfect fit, I much prefer talking to the greens and democrats then the right wing.
As for nationalism, I feel that nationalism should be respectful in all countries. The problem is some people (reactionaries) feel that two nationalists from different countries are mutually incompatible in their goals. This is untruthful. The two greatest nationalists of the century, Charles De Gaulle and Josip Broz, did far more to protect peace and freedom then anyone who lined up along the international borders of east and west.

Left wing economic policy - Right wing economic policy

Libertarian social policy - Authoritarian social policy


They are different. I hate nationstates forums because everyone is pompous. Bye, i'm not reading responses.

www.politicalcompass.org

well to be truthfull, I really find the left/right scale an imprecise system. When asked if I'm left wing or right wing I answer "left" because although its not a perfect fit, I much prefer talking to the greens and democrats then the right wing.
As for nationalism, I feel that nationalism should be respectful in all countries. The problem is some people (reactionaries) feel that two nationalists from different countries are mutually incompatible in their goals. This is untruthful. The two greatest nationalists of the century, Charles De Gaulle and Josip Broz, did far more to protect peace and freedom then anyone who lined up along the international borders of east and west.

Well yes, the left right scale doesnt exactly work. I used a mapping thing that crosses over economic left/rightism and political left/rightism. I was left of centre for both, but more in politics. The scale really isnt a straight line anyway, its a curved line which explains similarities in far right and far left, e.g authoritarian communism and fascism

The above, ignoring the comments.

but fascism isn't even close to the authoritarian far right. If anything its authoritarian centrist. Pinochet represented the far right with his defense of international capitalism and thus the international upper class.

Democratic Socialist, but with a hang to Shachtmanism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Shachtman

but fascism isn't even close to the authoritarian far right. If anything its authoritarian centrist. Pinochet represented the far right with his defense of international capitalism and thus the international upper class.

Well political compass agrees, Hitler was authoritarian centrist, but not left wing. Ive actually turned more left wing by the way, I'm now like a quarter to the left of centre both ways.

I'm econonically liberal, politically/civil rights conservative. That's more along the lines of Stalinism, but I guess some of my views could be called Trotskist too (a Stalinist Trotskist...irony).

I'm econonically liberal, politically/civil rights conservative. That's more along the lines of Stalinism, but I guess some of my views could be called Trotskist too (a Stalinist Trotskist...irony).

There is no irony in lacking ignorance - To abide by the rules of one is ridiculous.

By the way, its Trotskyite...

Have you tried this?
http://www.americanfascistmovement.com/

Have you tried this?
http://www.americanfascistmovement.com/

I have now, what exactly am I supposed to be looking at?

If fascism is not left wing, neither is Anarcho-Syndacalism. Social Democracies become puppets for the same old reactionary force, and anarchists have never managed to make a single state work.
True all of it. But I think we place value in different things, and thus percieve the world slightly differently.
Social Democracies seems to work exactly as intended. Scandinavia is the only Socialist Democratic place I can think of mind you, but their governments seems to work like they want them to. Most of the socialist democrats I've met actually want that "same old reactionary force" to weild a great deal of power.
Anarchists have never had the opportunity to try to form a nation. There have been (and are) several anarchist societies all over the world. To the best of my knowledge, all of them have been quite successful and prosperous. The main problem with anarchist societies is that everyone wants to kill them. It's not that any of the anarchist societies have failed. They've just been wiped off the face of the earth by forign powers.

Like I said, you're right... Depending on how you look at it.

True all of it. But I think we place value in different things, and thus percieve the world slightly differently.
Social Democracies seems to work exactly as intended. Scandinavia is the only Socialist Democratic place I can think of mind you, but their governments seems to work like they want them to. Most of the socialist democrats I've met actually want that "same old reactionary force" to weild a great deal of power.
Anarchists have never had the opportunity to try to form a nation. There have been (and are) several anarchist societies all over the world. To the best of my knowledge, all of them have been quite successful and prosperous. The main problem with anarchist societies is that everyone wants to kill them. It's not that any of the anarchist societies have failed. They've just been wiped off the face of the earth by forign powers.

Like I said, you're right... Depending on how you look at it.

But we suck!
Our healthcare is in shambles, we have increasing problems with education, racism, economy. Our politicians doesn't listen to us, we have a pompous misogynist pig as governmental leader.
I don't think we have the government we want, we are just too scared of the alternatives to vote for radical change.

But we suck!
Our healthcare is in shambles, we have increasing problems with education, racism, economy. Our politicians doesn't listen to us, we have a pompous misogynist pig as governmental leader.
I don't think we have the government we want, we are just too scared of the alternatives to vote for radical change.

A bitter irony when people have to accept things just as they have no choice. Us Brits have to put up with Bush's puppet for the next 4 years because people didnt want Howard

I'm an anarchist. I do draw some influences from Marxism (exactly one influence, and that is that I love the Internationale and that is about it), though.

This poll doesn't allow for accurate representation of political position. (Its a good starting point for debate though.) For example, most socialists (in the true sense of the word) subscribe to Marxism to some degree. As a Trot I am also a Marxist and a Marxist-Leninist. Maoism and Stalinism, despite creating deformed workers states, both rely on elements of Marxist economics and of Marxist class analysis. Makes for a complicated poll...

I am also wandering if it would make more sense if the first choice was "social democrat" rather than "democratic socialist". As a Trot I would consider myself a democratic socialist but not a social democrat as I believe in replacing capitalism with socialist democracy (not reforming capitalism as social democrats believe).

I find references to Scandinavian countries as democratic socialist perplexing. They are clearly capitalist despite the reforms ordinary people have won there.

Making a distiction between economy and politics is also strange. Economic policy (along with social policy) is the foundation of political position. As can be seen with free market capitalism, economic policy often determines social policy.

Well political compass agrees, Hitler was authoritarian centrist, but not left wing. Ive actually turned more left wing by the way, I'm now like a quarter to the left of centre both ways.
I thought you and I agreed before, Hitler was a Nazi not a Fascist?