The Difference Between The Left and Right
Posted: Monday, December 21, 2009
by Richard Vail
Chisel & Plane
I was reading the comments in a blog early this morning. I in one of them I discovered a profound a thought as any I've seen lately. It is simplicity itself...the fundamental difference between the two major political parties in the United States of America is this: Economic Policy. They both spring from the era known as the enlightenment, though they have very different lineages.
While both of these political beliefs profess to be the "correct way to live and govern", either can have its deadly extremes. On the left, socialist and communist governments in the last century directly or indirectly caused the deaths of hundreds of millions of people. National Socialism is in fact left wing movement. The full name is National Socialist Workers Party, im der deutche: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei isn't the name a conservative movement would take. Try reading an excellent essay by John J. Ray, Ph.D. "Hitler Was A Socialist" for a much fuller description. This paper can by found easily by doing a simple Google search. Additionally, Joseph Stalin, Mao Tse Dung and Pol Pot all contributed to the body count. This isn't meant to imply that the Right doesn't have its own distinguished members of the butchers list. Kaiser Wilhelm Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Hollenzollern (Wilhelm II of Germany), Tsar Nicholas II Romanov as well as Agusto Pinochet have a place on this list, but I digress.
What those on the right believe is that by limiting the scope of governmental power and intrusion upon the populace to within that given by the frame work of the US Constitution, and by using the market, many problems can be solved both efficiently and economically. This is simplistic in the extreme, but we're not going into detail here. What the Left believes is that government can solve many if not all problems much more effectively than can an open market. By mandating what is permitted and what is prohibited government can better allocated goods and services better than any other system.
Both viewpoints have their adherents, and which side you choose to abide with is your choice alone. I do urge you not to choose blindly or because "my father/mother was a XXXXX", but an educated choice, because an educated electorate is the heart of democracy. One last thought...be respectful of those who believe differently than yourself. Don't hurl insults merely because "they" have different views, different isn't good, nor is it bad...it's merely different.
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)This article really make you think. I am not sure what side of the fence the writer is on. Maybe he his not trying to be on a side I do not know.I lean centre right...but the point was to actually attempt to do something most journalists have forgotten how to do...write without a predetermined bias. If I can do it...and I"m not a journalist....why can't they?Thanks for coming by and commenting
Interesting article, Richard. I cringe that family tradition in politics is alive and well. We hear often that "my grandfather was a (insert party) so I am too!"Well...to be honest, my family is from NW Ohio...and my great (5 times removed) grandfather was one of the founders of the GOP...I was a faithful member until this decade, when I came to the conclusion that the party leadership had abandoned it's core principles. I too have used that mantra from time to time when attempting to establish my bona fides...so I'm guilty of that sin myself. More importantly, I never voted a straight party ticket in the first place. I've always attempted to vote for the best candidate (sometimes its the lesser of two evils) but in the past couple of elections, other than the presidential race, I generally vote against the incumbent on the grounds they've become to entrenched in office...no matter how long they've been there!
Good piece - thanks for giving us something to put into our thinkers and ponder upon! Marijomy pleasure. thanks for coming by and commenting/rating it. Really this started as just an "execise" piece.
Really enjoyed the article, I especially liked the part when you simplified the two sides. Personally enjoy learning to fish and find it more fulfilling then just getting the fish.Hi Melanie, thanks for commenting as well as taking the time to read it. It's a very simplistic view of political beliefs...but it struck me as deeply profound.
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