Right-wing politics

:Right wing is also a term used in several sports; see winger (sport).

Right wing issues

In the 20th century, outside the United States, where capitalism was always supported by the many politicians and intellectuals, the most notable distinction between left and right was in economic policy. The right advanced capitalism, whereas the left advocated socialism (often democratic socialism) or communism. This distinction has shifted somewhat since the collapse of the Soviet Bloc, as mainstream politicians now accept limited capitalism to a large degree, but in a socialistic form in which government mandates significant redistribution of wealth.

Related Topics:
United States - Capitalism - Socialism - Communism - Soviet Bloc

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The dominant modern strand of right wing thought is concerned with traditional values (often Christian in nature) and preservation of individual and corporate rights through constraints on government power. In a hard-line form the second and third of these priorities are associated with libertarianism, but some on the right reject the most ardent assumptions of libertarianism, especially outside of the United States, and a small minority of libertarians do not consider themselves to be right wing.

Related Topics:
Christian - Libertarianism - United States

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A more obscure strand of right wing thought, often associated with the original right wing from the times of monarchy, supports the preservation of wealth and power in the hands that have traditionally held them, social stability, and national solidarity and ambition.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Both of the above strands of right wing thought come in many forms, and individuals who support some of the objectives of one of the above stands will not necessarily support all of the others. At the level of practical political policy, there are endless variations in the means that right wing thinkers advocate to achieve their basic aims, and they sometimes argue with each other as much as with the left.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The values and policy concerns of the right vary in different countries and eras. Also, individual right wing politicians and thinkers often have idiosyncratic priorities. It is not always possible or helpful to try to work out which of two sets of beliefs or policies is more right-wing (see political spectrum).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~