Centre-left politics – Wikipedia

    Position within the political spectrum

    Centre-left politics lean to the left on the left–right political spectrum but are closer to the centre than other left-wing politics. Those on the centre-left believe in working within the established systems to improve social justice. The centre-left promotes a degree of social equality that it believes is achievable through promoting equal opportunity.

    The centre-left emphasizes that the achievement of equality requires personal responsibility in areas in control by the individual person through their abilities and talents as well as social responsibility in areas outside control by the person in their abilities or talents. [ 1 ]

    The centre-left opposes a wide gap between the rich and the poor and supports moderate measures to reduce the economic gap, such as a progressive income tax, laws prohibiting child labour, minimum wage laws, laws regulating working conditions, limits on working hours and laws to ensure the workers’ right to organize. The centre-left typically claims that complete equality of outcome is not possible, but instead that equal opportunity improves a degree of equality of outcome in society.

    In Europe, the centre-left includes social democrats, progressives, greens and the moderate Christian left. Some variants of liberalism, especially social liberalism, are described as centre-left, but many social liberals are in the centre of the political spectrum as well. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] In the Americas, in relation to economic policy, the centre-left also includes economic progressive forms of Christian democracy, some of which may be politically syncretic mixing in the social conservatism of the centre-right .The main ideologies of the centre-left include social democracy, [ 5 ] social liberalism, [ 5 ] progressivism, [ 6 ] and green politics. [ 5 ] Centre-left politics often incorporate elements of libertarianism and occasionally favor limited state intervention. As with all political alignments, the exact boundaries of centre-left versus far-left or centrist politics are not clearly defined and can vary depending on context. [ 5 ] Centre-left ideologies are common in stable political systems, which typically allow for political debate with an ideological centre .Social democracy is a reformist offshoot of socialism that supports the modification of capitalist economies rather than their total abolition. It seeks to regulate capitalism to protect social equality, advocating reforms that benefit the entire people and the common good and rejecting the Marxist position of aligning specifically with the working class. [ 11 ] Social democracy has historically been most successful in the European Union. Sweden in particular has historically been closely associated with social democracy, as it was the first country to be led by a social democratic party, and social democrats in Sweden continued to be relevant even after the ideology lost influence in other countries during the 1970 s .Social liberalism and left liberalism overlap significantly with social democracy, and the identification of centre-left ideologies as ” liberal ” is most common to the United States. This form of liberalism argues in favour of capitalism and the benefits it provides for society, but it advocates regulations to reduce wealth inequality. It rejects the idea that the upper class seeks to harm or exploit members of society, instead arguing that these are unintentional effects of laissez-faire economics. Liberalism is less common in regions such as Africa and Asia, where there is no individualist or liberal democratic tradition. [ 17 ] [ 18 ]Progressivism is the tư vấn of continuous social reform to improve society gradually, opposing revolutionary or conservative politics. [ 20 ] It is typically associated with the centre-left ideologies of social liberalism and social democracy, though communist and centrist ideologies have sometimes been involved in progressive politics. [ 6 ] There is great divergence within the progressive movement, with disagreement in what reforms should be attempted and how they can be implemented, [ 6 ] though redistributive policies are a common theme within progressivism. [ 20 ]Green politics developed from various left-wing ideologies, including social democracy and Marxism, in the 1970 s. It first gained influence in Germany as a response to the Cold War and environmental issues, advocating a political focus on ecology and nonviolence. Green politics challenges modern industrialisation and institutions through a lens of social justice .In addition to the most common centre-left ideologies, other ideologies are sometimes described as centre-left or have centre-left variants. [ 5 ]Democratic socialism supports the abolition of capitalism in favour of socialism, though it opposes the creation of a communist state. [ 24 ] It was historically seen as a centre-left position [ 25 ] and may sometimes be described as such, but modern democratic socialism is typically considered radical in nature and distinct from centre-left ideologies. [ 24 ] [ 25 ]Some forms of Christian socialism are identified as centre-left. [ 5 ]Ubuntu philosophy is associated with centre-left ideology in Africa through ideas of humanism and African communalism. [ 26 ]Some elements of Confucianism invoke ideas that are associated with the centre-left in Western countries. Promotion of general welfare, supporting members of the family, and the ideal of the Harmonious Society all have implications for centre-left politics .Third Way politics is a branch of centre-left politics that developed in much of the world near the end of the 20 th century. It supports heavy deregulation and privatization for the purpose of increasing economic growth to fund public goods such as education, healthcare, and pensions .Throughout the world, centre-left groups generally tư vấn :The term may be used to imply positions on the environment, religion, public morality, etc., but these are usually not the defining characteristics, since centre-right parties may sometimes take similar positions on these issues. [ 29 ] A centre-left party may or may not be more concerned with reducing industrial emissions than a centre-right party [ 30 ] [ 31 ] if not explicitly adhering to a green ideology .Centre-left groups generally tư vấn a mixed economy with moderate economic interventionism. Keynesian economics has historically seen tư vấn among the centre-left, though it has declined in popularity in favour of balanced budgets and low government spending. Closely related to centre-left politics are concepts of the welfare state and regulated labour markets. In the 20 th century, trade unions and their working class constituency were closely associated with social democratic and labour parties, especially in Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, and former British colonies in the Pacific. Thes e associations generally lessened by the end of the century as union membership declined and centre-left parties shifted toward Third Way politics, which introduced elements of neoliberalism into centre-left politics, increasing the focus on không lấy phí markets. Labour-government relations and the right to unionize have been less prominent ideas in East Asia .Some early centre-left groups supported gradual reform toward socialism, but this position is not supported by the centre-left in the 21 st century. The modern centre-left distinguishes between just and unjust capitalism, advocating for welfare state policies to create what it considers to be just capitalism. The core objective underlying centre-left economic policies, democratic capitalism, has largely been achieved within many economies, with further policies seeking to merely reform or improve upon this system. Thes e may include measures to reduce poverty or to tư vấn lower-wage workers. One common dispute within the centre-left is the extent to which centre-left parties should reform markets versus regulating pre-existing markets. Centre-left parties in Europe and the United States have supported corporate governance reform to protect the investments of shareholders. [ 39 ]The goal of centre-left economic policy is equal opportunity. Centre-left politics often involve transfer payment systems, such as welfare and early childhood education, with the goal of creating higher employment while avoiding a welfare trap. Closely associated with this is the implementation of a progressive tax, in which higher earnings are taxed at higher rates .

    The economies of Nordic countries such as Denmark and Sweden are often upheld by proponents of centre-left economic policies as successful applications of these policies. These economies heavily emphasize international trade as well as collaboration between government, industry, and labour. In post-war Europe, West Germany established the socioeconomic model of a social market economy, a regulated market economic system that promoted free markets and fair competition with regulation for social policies and a welfare state.[44][45]

    Liberal internationalism is associated with the centre-left through its idealism, constructivism, and progressivism. [ 46 ] Liberal internationalists seek cooperation between nations, [ 46 ] often including tư vấn for common security and arms control between nations to facilitate peace. [ 47 ] The centre-left, along with the centre-right, implemented this foreign policy in Europe during the Cold War, but it has become less prominent due to the rise of anti-globalist far-right parties. [ 48 ]Advocates of centre-left politics typically tư vấn laws and government programs to tư vấn marginalized groups such as the elderly, the handicapped, and the unemployed. Measures to this effect include financial assistance and anti-discrimination laws .The immigration policies of centre-left groups vary depending on the political circumstances of a given country, and they may seek to greatly expand or greatly restrict immigration. In principle, centre-left parties generally believe in multiculturalism and tư vấn high immigration. The key issue of centre-left immigration policy is the balance between egalitarianism and pragmatism. The centre-left often faces pressures from working class voters to restrict immigration to prevent competition over jobs and public services. Other centre-left policies can also be negatively impacted by immigration, as a large increase in low-skilled workers can raise concerns about the increased price of public services, prompting spending cuts and roll-backs of centre-left welfare policies .The centre-left is descended from left-wing politics, which originated in the French Revolution and in the response to early capitalism .In France, the early centre-left was led by Adolphe Thiers ( head of the liberal-nationalist Movement Party ) and Odilon Barrot, who headed the populist ” Dynastic Opposition “. [ 54 ] The centre-left was Orléanist, but supported a liberal interpretation of the Charter of 1830, more power to the Parliament, manhood suffrage and tư vấn to rising European nationalisms. Adolphe Thiers served as Prime Minister for King Louis Philippe I twice ( in 1836 and 1840 ), but he then lost the King’s favour, and the centre-left rapidly fell. [ 55 ]Progressivism developed as a school of thought within British and American centre-left politics in the mid-19th century. Early progressive thought developed from modernism and humanism, manifesting as calls for reform. It developed as a political movement in the late-19th and early-20th centuries as it was adopted by social liberal and social democratic parties. [ 20 ]

    In France, during the Second Republic and the Second Empire the centre-left was not strong or organized, but became commonly associated with the moderate republicans’ group in Parliament. Finally, in 1871 the Second Empire fell as consequence of the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and Adolphe Thiers re-established the centre-left after the foundation of the Third Republic. This time the centre-left was constituted of moderate republicans, then called “Opportunists”, anti-royalist liberals and radicals from the Republican Union. During the Third Republic, the centre-left was led by political and intellectual figures like Jules Dufaure, Édouard René de Laboulaye, Charles de Rémusat, Léon Say, William Waddington, Jean Casimir-Perier, Edmond Henri Adolphe Schérer and Georges Picot.[56] Elsewhere in Europe, centre-left movements appeared from the 1860s, mainly in Spain and Italy. In Italy, the centre-left was born as coalition between the liberal Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour and the progressive Urbano Rattazzi, the heads respectively of the Right and Left groupings in Parliament. This alliance was called “connubio” (“marriage”) for its opportunist characteristics.[57]

    Liberalism was typically associated with the centre-right in the late 19 th century, but liberal parties in France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom adopted left-liberal policies through coalitions of middle and working class voters that survived until World War I .Social democracy developed by the early 20 th century as a response to the strength of capitalism. Challenging the idea that capitalism was nearing an implosion, reformist socialists such as Eduard Bernstein rejected Marxist ideas of historical materialism and class conflict, [ 11 ] and social democrats established themselves as a reformist alternative to the revolutionary left, arguing that societal improvements within capitalist democracy would better serve the working class. This philosophy became widely popular among the European left after World War I, which had convinced many contemporary leftists that national identity was more important to the working class than class solidarity, which would render Marxism unviable. This was reinforced by the wave of democracy that followed, allowing socialists to participate in electoral politics .Social democrats made up the centre-left during the interwar period in Europe, advocating for government regulation and intervention in opposition to the passive policies of the predominant Marxist and classical liberal parties. The centre-left and the centre-right in this period were primarily divided by their stance on trade unions, with social democracy advocating greater powers for unions in collective bargaining. In Western Europe, the centre-left supported the Plan De Man. During the Great Depression in the 1930 s, social democracy became a viable alternative to other left-wing ideologies, [ 11 ] and state intervention saw popular tư vấn throughout the western world. It was also seen as a potential means to counteract rising far-right movements that were developing in Europe. [ 11 ] The centre-left was particularly strong in Sweden, which was the only country at the time to have ruling party that was explicitly social democratic, the Swedish Social Democratic Party. Other European countries with social democratic governments included Denmark, Norway, and Czechoslovakia. The Democratic Party in the United States also implemented centre-left policies with the New Deal, as a lack of ties to socialist groups allowed for a stronger centre-left relative to other countries .Centre-left ideas proliferated rapidly after the Great Depression and World War II. A post-war consensus formed among policymakers in Western Europe that rejected both classical liberalism and democratic socialism in favour of social democratic ideals. With the end of fascism, countries Western Europe adopted social democracy and liberal democracy. Social democracy was widely adopted and implemented in much of Europe, both by centre-left and by traditionally centre-right parties. [ 11 ] Keynesian economics became the mainstream in Western Europe during the 1950 s and 1960 s .Centre-left politics were historically unpopular in Latin America, and left-wing candidates were kept out of power through both right-wing dictatorships and through conservative victories in fair elections. [ 67 ] In the mid-20th century, centre-left politics supported state-led development and industrialization in the region, which allowed redistributive and socially inclusive policies to be implemented. In East Asia, interventionism and developmental policy were adopted by right-wing parties rather than centre-left parties. [ 68 ]Keynesian economics declined in popularity after the end of the post-war consensus and the subsequent recession in the 1970 s. The centre-left parties that had held power to that point received much of the blame for the economic crises, and tư vấn for the centre-left declined in favour of conservative neoliberalism. At the same time, the end of several right-wing dictatorships in Southern Europe prompted tư vấn for centre-left politics in the 1970 s. A decline in the relevance of trade unions, historically a prominent voter group for social democratic parties, contributed to the limited success of centre-left politics in the 1980 s. Furthermore, centre-left policies faced new challenges that necessitated a reconsideration of the welfare state, including population ageing that threatened pension programs and women in the workforce that heavily altered the job market .Third Way politics developed as a prominent form of centre-left politics, beginning with the Australian governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating in the 1980 s and 1990 s. Similar movements developed elsewhere, including in Germany and New Zealand. Centre-left parties in Latin America also shifted from social democracy to social liberalism in a pragmatic attempt to reach voters. [ 67 ] The most prominent adoption of Third Way politics was that of New Labour in the United Kingdom. Centre-left politics remained unpopular in much of Continental Europe at this time. Third Way politics lost tư vấn among the centre-left after the early 2000 s, and neo-Keynesianism regained popularity .Centre-left ideologies were among those uplifted by the pink tide in Latin America in the late 1990 s. Early centre-left politics and progressivism in Latin America has focused heavily on the inclusion of previously excluded groups in society through citizenship and its associated rights. Income inequality also became a major focus, and centre-left parties in the region promote redistributive policy. [ 76 ] Liberalism in Latin America has historically been conservative and oligarchic rather than a centre-left liberalism of progressivism or egalitarianism. Several centre-left parties supported reforms toward economic liberalism in line with those supported by their right-wing counterparts, in some cases leading to backlash that saw incumbent centre-left leaders replaced by far-left populists .Ideological diversity developed in Africa after the end of the decolonization period, which had been dominated by far-left politics. Most post-colonial African political parties adopted some form of socialism or social democracy, though social democratic policies have seen limited success due to the unstable nature of democracy in Africa. [ 26 ]By the beginning of the 21 st century, the centre-left had almost entirely overtaken farther left groups in politics globally, with other forms of left-wing politics seeing little tư vấn in democratic nations. Globalization and the Digital Revolution altered the objectives and demographics of the centre-left, as the working class has been largely subsumed by the middle class in developed nations due to increased living standards and the establishment of a knowledge economy. Of those in service industry careers, class is not a unifying or significant aspect of personal identity. In particular, this shift has caused People’s Parties based on mass mobilization to be less viable. Thes e rapid developments in society during the turn of the century caused distress among voters, including increased perceptions of social inequality and fear of change, causing voters to move away from traditional centre-left ideologies toward populism .

    The Great Recession exacerbated this trend, bringing significant challenges to the rule of centre-left parties, particularly those with social democratic leanings. In Europe, this brought about a period of Pasokification in which social democratic parties saw large declines during the 2010s, largely being replaced by far-left and right-wing populist parties. The centre-left’s stance on immigration in Europe was one of multiculturalism, further pushing working class voters from the centre-left to the far-right. In some cases, centre-left and centre-right politics in these countries became less distinct as political cleavages shifted toward populist versus traditional politics.

  • Allern, Elin Haugsgjerd; Bale, Time, eds. (2017). Left-of-Centre Parties and Trade Unions in the Twenty-First Century. Oxford University Ptress. ISBN 9780192507716.
  • Bell, Daniel A. (2006). Beyond Liberal Democracy: Political Thinking for an East Asian Context. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9781400827466.
  • Talshir, Gayil (2002). The Political Ideology of Green Parties: From the Politics of Nature to Redefining the Nature of Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781403919892.
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