[quote=SK in CV][quote=KSMountain][quote=SK in CV], but I still think of the left/right spectrum as being socialism on the left and capitalism on the right.[/quote]
Wait. What? So capitalism is the hard right now? What a shame if some people think that now.
I thought hard right was supposed to be Nationalism, Fascism, etc…[/quote]
No, that’s not anything like what I said. Neither socialism nor capitalism are at extreme ends of the spectrum.[/quote]
What’s difficult about defining left/right is that we often conflate social and economic theories.
IMO, on one end of the economic spectrum, we would have collective ownership (not government ownership, BTW), with each person having as much control over resources as the next. The government would only exist to make sure this division was maintained.
On the other side of the spectrum, we’d have concentrated ownership where a handful of people/entities own or control all resources, and everyone else has to work for them in order to survive. Corporatism, capitalism, communism, etc. would all fall under this umbrella term.
In between, we’d have mixed economies of varying degrees, with the government encouraging either the concentration or dilution of wealth in order to achieve certain economic (and social, though that would be secondary) goals.
IOW, we are taught that we need to focus on whether or not those who control the wealth and resources are “public” (in name only, the masses have no control over this “public” owner) or “private” entities. The people who rule us tend to be the same, no matter what color hat they wear. I’m far more concerned about the **concentration** of wealth/power than the “public/private” label of those who control it.
………….
I believe that we can look at other terms WRT political power and social ideologies, with less of an emphasis on economics.
IMO, by using social issues that tend to be more emotional in nature, the PTB are better able to sway the masses toward their respective goals — which are usually economic, and focus on giving certain people the primary control over the bulk of the world’s assets.
Though both economic and social policies affect one another, I think they are separate and distinct, even if it’s not officially taught that way.
