Politically, are you left or right wing?

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Where do you sit politically?

  • Right

    Votes: 32 9.7%
  • Only just right of centre

    Votes: 65 19.8%
  • Centre

    Votes: 39 11.9%
  • Only just left of centre

    Votes: 92 28.0%
  • Left

    Votes: 101 30.7%

  • Total voters
    329


Hugo Rune

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 23, 2012
23,695
Brighton
Which is capitalism by any other name.

Rubbish. Plenty of wealthy folks who don’t work hard or work at all due to privilege.

Capitalism is a force for good but like fire, electricity, water or gas, it needs to be controlled closely and regulated. The financial crash of 2008 is a prime example of what happens when a Government takes it’s eyes off the job of regulating capitalism.
 




beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,025
Rubbish. Plenty of wealthy folks who don’t work hard or work at all due to privilege.

Capitalism is a force for good but like fire, electricity, water or gas, it needs to be controlled closely and regulated. The financial crash of 2008 is a prime example of what happens when a Government takes it’s eyes off the job of regulating capitalism.

your argument against privilege is not with capitalism, serious capitalist dont care for advantage from who you know rather than what you do. often the objection to regulation is it entrenches incumbants and becomes uncompetitive.

the interesting thing, and my question, faced with the contradiction of equality and rewarding effort people go two ways. either they put equality first, which is communism, or they put reward first which is capitalist.
 


Hampster Gull

Well-known member
Dec 22, 2010
13,465
Poll too simplistic. I’m economically right wing, internationalist and socially liberal. According to a study called 3-D Politics I’m a Kind Young Capitalist. Not sure why age comes into it :shrug:
 


happypig

Staring at the rude boys
May 23, 2009
8,179
Eastbourne
I'd describe myself as a left wing pragmatist. I believe that things people need (energy, water, telecoms, public transport) should be run by the state for public benefit and not for speculators and spivs to make a profit. I believe in unilateral nuclear disarmament. I believe in a universal living wage for all (including those on benefits).

This is tempered by the fact that I know a lot of people don't agree with much of this and wouldn't vote for it so I campaign for those that are achievable and will work towards a more equitable society.
 






zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
I'd describe myself as a left wing pragmatist. I believe that things people need (energy, water, telecoms, public transport) should be run by the state for public benefit and not for speculators and spivs to make a profit. I believe in unilateral nuclear disarmament. I believe in a universal living wage for all (including those on benefits).

This is tempered by the fact that I know a lot of people don't agree with much of this and wouldn't vote for it so I campaign for those that are achievable and will work towards a more equitable society.

I agree with this. THe benefits sytsem and NHS need monumental overhaul, and HMRC need to start paying competitive salaries to attract better employees from said speculators and spivs, in order to fund it all.

For the record, I'm all for free enterprise and consider myself left of centre with a green stripe. Say red gold and green!
 


bn1&bn3 Albion

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
5,625
Portslade
I get called a right wing racist by the left and a lefty by the right.. Apparently you can't form your own opinion on matters, you must be either right or left on everything.
 








JC Footy Genius

Bringer of TRUTH
Jun 9, 2015
10,568
Can't speak for the others but I am right of centre.

I'll always try to moderate impartially but of course I will make errors.

Good luck but watch out for the shoe rack full of sandals on the way into Mod towers and don't be surprised if there's a portrait of Sir Keir above the fireplace :wink:
 






father_and_son

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2012
4,652
Under the Police Box
I won’t fit that neat dichotomy .... a floating voter who’s ‘centre right’ on some economics, ‘centre left’ on spending/support for the vulnerable and disadvantaged, an environmentalist, anti Trump, anti Momentum, not a Daily Mail reader.

Probably commonplace, difficult to pigeonhole.

Economically speaking, right. Keynesian economic policy is pure bull.

But a social liberal, so left in that respect.

Believe in small government (or mostly, no government) so slightly anarchist.

Won't vote for Boris again because of the Cummings Affair but can't vote for anyone to their right or for Labour.

Feeling pretty much disenfranchised now.
 


zefarelly

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
22,789
Sussex, by the sea
For me my political views are separated into left of centre and extreme left.

I genuinely believe that a utopian society would be, or will be in the distant future, one that all goods and services are owned by everyone, for the good of everyone. Where all people are equal.

However realistically, the best way to achieve that would be baby steps, rather than a revolution which historically doesn't usually end well.

So for me, realistically, I am merely left of centre, as I understand the necessity of the existance of certain right wing ideals in these current times, such as the free market (although will usually support greater regulation of it). I believe that returning services such as power & water to the nation would be a good start, as would the introduction of a Universal Basic Income. I believe that society should reward hard work, more than it rewards the ownership of wealth - which it currently does not.

I'm in agreement, the bit thats always missing from these statements is whether to reward or not the bone idle and lazy ********, there are a lot of them in this country.
 


lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
NSC Patron
Jun 11, 2011
14,083
Worthing
If only there were more people to represent the centre this country would be in a better place.


There was a centrist party available to vote for in the last election. Change UK, a party made up of former Labour and Conservative MPs.
They all lost their seats.
 




This is me

Active member
Sep 15, 2013
784
Economically speaking, right. Keynesian economic policy is pure bull.

But a social liberal, so left in that respect.

Believe in small government (or mostly, no government) so slightly anarchist.

Won't vote for Boris again because of the Cummings Affair but can't vote for anyone to their right or for Labour.

Feeling pretty much disenfranchised now.

.... that’s largely how I felt at the last election, but it is important to utilise your vote. Sometimes it’s about voting for the best of the worst & there was no way I could vote for the party of hate [Labour] at the last election & although I voted for ‘remain’ believe democracy must be seen to be delivered. That being the case - the only main party that can be voted for is Conservative - if you are a democrat even if you have to pinch your nose whilst voting
 




beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,025
No, it's not.

Capitalism is all about making profit through any legal means available to it. It does not take into account how hard someone works. It will pay an individual vast wealth for doing very little, if it is profitable for them to do so. At the same time, it pays many of the most crucial, difficult and dangerous jobs the least. There is no equality or fairness in capitalism, as far as individuals are concerned.

I'm not wholly against capitalism, but this criticism of it is one of the more obvious.

this view is largely built on outcomes of some capitialism, not of the concept. at core its about private ownership and direction of resources. equality comes from property rights and market forces. your view on equality and reward for effort will be shared by capitialists, even if you dont like it (or it doesnt work out in practice)
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,025
There was a centrist party available to vote for in the last election. Change UK, a party made up of former Labour and Conservative MPs.
They all lost their seats.

a sad consequence of our tribalism and following of politcal parties. people just dont like going out side the standard even if they support the ideas.

and most the candidates were a bit wet to be frank.
 




SweatyMexican

Well-known member
Mar 31, 2013
4,155
I don’t really like the very basic sliding scale of left vs right wing.

Everyone has differing opinions on policy issues etc, and that’s where we should start.

Should we privatise the NHS, or allocate more of our resources to make it better?
Do we need to move aggressively away from fossil fuels and act against climate change, or is it a hoax?
Do we live in a democracy, or another form of society? Does our voting system need to change?
Do we need to invest more in our infrastructure?
Is making sure large corporations pay their fair share in taxes important?
Do we need to invest more in our military?

A million questions, but I think we’d be surprised at the answers from people who believe they’re in the left wing or right wing tribes.
 


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,942
I voted for Tony Blair’s Labour Party 3 times. Since then I have cast my vote elsewhere. Labour will never get back into power until they persuade floating voters like me - under Corbyn there was no chance that I would vote for them & lent my vote to the Tories last time around & Lib Dem’s before that.

If there was a general election tomorrow it would be a choice between Lib Dem & Conservatives but if Starmer sorts out his party I would consider returning. View attachment 124860

Do you have evidence that she didn't condemn it ? Or is this just the usual blind share ?
 


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