History of the Left vs. the Right
Left and Right. Image: Reason
History of the Left vs. the Right
What is the history behind the political terms “left” and “right”?
What are the values important to each side?
Are they pejorative political terms?
Is one right correct and the other wrong?
What’s the Difference Between the Left Side and the Right Side?
The opening of the Estates General, May 5, 1789, in the Salle des Menus Plaisirs in Versailles. Image: Wikipedia
The origin of these terms dates back over two hundred years to France. During the reign of King Louis XVI, at the time of the Ancien Régime, the Estates General convened in Versailles in 1789 to discuss the financial crisis and widespread social distress.
The Estates General was composed of three Estates, divided into two factions, or what we would now call two parties.
Deputies of the Three French Estates, March 1789. Image: Nogentrev
- The First Estate consisted of the Clergy, including bishops and higher church officers.
- The Second Estate referred to the Nobility, the aristocracy, which sometimes included the monarch, and sometimes did not.
- The Third Estate was the Common people, the bourgeoisie, townspeople who were usually landowners and merchants, as well as peasants. They represented about half the assembly.
The Second Estate deputy Baron de Gauville explained the self-organizing division:
“We began to recognize each other: those who were loyal to religion and the king [First and Second Estates] took up positions to the right of the chair so as to avoid the shouts, oaths, and indecencies that enjoyed free rein in the opposing camp [the Third Estate], sitting to the left.“
In other words, the “conservatives” (Royalists) sat to the Right, and the “liberals” (Revolutionaries) sat to the Left.
Vive la Révolution?
“Liberty leading the People” by Eugène Delacroix, Louvre. Image: Wikipedia
The meeting of the Estates General, which started on May 5, 1789, did not go well for the King and the Royalists. It resulted in the French Revolution, commemorated on July 14, also known as Bastille Day.
The result of the Revolution on the First Estate was to strip the Church of its authority and try to replace Catholicism with the Cult of Reason, an atheist belief system introduced by Robespierre‘s rival, Jacques Hébert. On November 10, 1793, he led a nationwide Fête de la Raison (Festival of Reason) where churches were transformed into Temples of Reason. The largest such ceremony was held at Notre Dame in Paris, where the Christian altar was dismantled and an altar to Liberty was installed. The inscription “To Philosophy” was carved over the cathedral’s doors.
Fête de la Raison (“Festival of Reason”), Notre Dame, Paris. Image: Wikipedia
For the Second Estate, nobility and royalty were subject to the bloody Reign of Terror. A new Republic was proclaimed in September 1792. But in January 1793, at the Place de la Révolution in Paris (ironically, now called Place de la Concorde), King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were executed by guillotine along with many of the nobility. See A Tale of Two Cities.
Execution of Louis XVI on the future Place de la Concorde on 21 January 1793. Image: Wikipedia
As the French Revolution subsequently replaced the Estates General with the National Assembly later that year, these two factions sat on the Right and Left of the presiding officer (the president).
In 1791, the National Assembly was replaced by the Legislative Assembly; however, the divisions persisted. Now, “conscientious defenders of the constitution” sat on the Right, where the defenders of the monarchy and religion had previously sat, “innovators” sat on the Left, and “moderates” sat in the middle.
How did the Left and Right Develop in the United States?
In America, Thomas Jefferson‘s Democratic-Republican Party (known then as the “Republican Party”) championed republicanism, individual liberty, religious freedom, and equal rights… and supported the French Revolution in 1790.
At the same time, Jefferson was running for President against the Federalist Party, which supported Britain. This support included not only political support but also championing trade with those countries. Jefferson bought the Louisiana Purchase from France’s Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803.
Thomas Jefferson and Marquis de Lafayette. Image: Dor Shada
Almost thirty years later, Jefferson wrote to his friend, the Marquis de LaFayette, a leader in France who had supported America with troops and navy in our Revolutionary War:
“… for in truth the parties of Whig [British Left-liberal] and Tory [British Right-conservative] are those of nature. They exist in all countries, whether called by these names, or by those of Aristocrats and democrats, coté droite [French Right side] or coté gauche [French Left side], Ultras or Radicals, Serviles or Liberals.”
Is Left vs. Right Just Politics?
Political Spectrum. Image: Britannica
While it is true that positions along the Left-Right spectrum can identify parties or politics, it really describes ideologies, emphasizing issues related to social equity, order, and hierarchy. Though often portrayed as opposed, individuals or groups might be “left” on some issues and “right” on others.
In France, the Left has been described as “the party of the movement” or liberal, while the Right is referred to as “the party of order” or conservative.
The Left opposed the monarchy, advocating for egalitarian principles, social equality, and individual parity. While they didn’t achieve absolute equality, the Cordeliers (motto: Liberté, égalité, fraternité) expanded voting rights and implemented democratic reforms during the French Revolution. They sympathized with the commoner, those with diminished rights, disadvantages, or marginalization.
In contrast, the Right advocated for the aristocracy and a constitutional monarchy, upholding traditional social hierarchies.
In 20th-century France, ironically, the terms Left and Right were initially used by opposing sides as slurs. Instead, the Left preferred to call themselves “republicans,” and the Right called themselves “conservatives.”
What Are the Differences Between the Left and Right in Modern America?
American Left and Right. Image: KTVB
In modern America, the Left is typically associated with the Democratic Party, while the Right is associated with the Republican Party. Some (over)simplified comparisons:
Social:
- The Left champions social change, equality, social justice, and collective responsibility.
- The Right emphasizes conservative social values, law and order, and individual well-being.
Economics:
- The Left emphasizes a social safety net through regulation and policy.
- The Right sponsors deregulation, low taxes, and fiscal laissez-faire economic practices.
Tradition:
- The Left challenges existing hierarchies, encouraging pluralism.
- The Right preserves the status quo and historic traditional values.
But it’s not always that simple. Historically:
Left or Right. Image: SvgRepo
President Grover Cleveland, a Democrat (1885-1889, 1893-1897), promoted conservative ideas, including limited government and fiscal laissez-faire economics.
- President Benjamin Harrison, a Republican (1889-1893), was considered liberal due to his Anti-Monopoly and pro-Civil Rights platform.
- President Theodore Roosevelt was a Republican (1901-1909), but he referred to himself as a progressive. Indeed, he even formed the Progressive Party (nicknamed the Bull Moose Party) in 1912.
- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Republican (1953-1961), was considered liberal on his pro-Civil Rights and pro-Social Security platform.
- President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat (1977-1981), was socially conservative in terms of his position as pro-Life (anti-Abortion) and his efforts to cut taxes.
As the two parties have grown farther apart in recent years, they have begun to resemble professional sports teams, with mascots, cheering sections, and rejoicing & grieving over “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”
Are There Only Three Estates in Politics?
Very perceptive question, gentle reader! There is a Fourth Estate, le quatrième pouvoir. In 1840, the French writer and journalist Honoré de Balzac affirmed that:
“The press is in France a fourth power in the State: it attacks everything and no one attacks it.”
Fourth Estate. Image: Political Dictionary
The independent press or mass media, as I discussed in my article on the Fourth Estate here, can serve as a counterpower to the three powers of the State.
This watchdog practice reported, verified, and questioned various matters of governance, both public and commercial, that the other powers exercised. It was non-partisan, neutral, unbiased, and untouchable by the other Estates.
But what happens when the American public does not trust the press, the news media?
Earlier this year, the Gallup organization reported that trust in the mass media – including newspapers, TV, and radio – is relatively low, the most significant loss of confidence in any other US public institution. America had been divided into “thirds”:
- One third (31%) trust it a great deal or a fair amount
- One third (33%) do not trust it very much
- One third (36%, up from 6% in 1972) have no trust in it at all
Americans’ Trust in Mass Media, 1972-2024. Image: Gallup
Most Americans on the Right (59% of Republicans) have no trust in the mass media, while 6% of the Left (Democrats) have no trust in the mass media.
The majority of Republicans now have no Trust in the Mass Media. Image: Gallup
Gallup indicates that the trend also shows that younger generations have less confidence in mass media than older generations, especially among Democrats.
Ironically, print professionals are rated slightly better in terms of honesty and ethics than their television counterparts.
What Happens When Confidence Is Lost in the Fourth Estate?
When the press has an unhealthy alliance with one Estate or the other (“left” or “right” political party), when they aid and abet that party, when liberal democracy becomes illiberal extremism… does Social Media – like blogs and podcasts that influence public discourse and politics independently of traditional media – become a new kind of Fourth Estate, the Fifth Estate?
What do you think about this?
Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
billpetro.com
