Social democracy, as it is typically understood, is absolutely leftist since it is based around government regulation, social justice, economic equality, and a strong welfare state.
That isn’t what most people consider Leftist. Leftism refers to Socialism, not Capitalism with welfare.
Social Democracy is based on class colaborationism between the bourgeoisie and petite bourgeoisie against the proletariat, similar to fascism but without the mass xenophobia or total erosion of worker protections.
The Nordic Countries in particular get much of their income from Imperialism, subsidizing cost of living off the backs of workers in the global south.
Because in the centre you have neoliberalism and so on.
Neoliberalism is firmly right-wing.
If you simply define left as anti-capitalist and right as capitalist then what’s in the center?
Politics in general aren’t as simple as absolute values on a line or grid, trying to nail down what “centrism” is is like trying to nail jello to a tree. Everything is in motion.
If you truly need to describe a center, it would be a mixed economy without relying on Imperialism to subsidize safety nets. Social Democracy gets close, but ultimately leans right as it can’t break through that Socialist barrier while maintaining its status as a Social Democracy.
I agree that the Left - Right spectrum is constantly in motion – that’s why these discussions of what constitutes what are often contentious and vary from one country to another.
![The US is Politically to the Right of [Other] Democracies](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/21301eb3-0348-4db4-9f02-82fd35987e02.jpeg){kind=link}
That isn’t what most people consider Leftist. Leftism refers to Socialism, not Capitalism with welfare.
Social Democracy is based on class colaborationism between the bourgeoisie and petite bourgeoisie against the proletariat, similar to fascism but without the mass xenophobia or total erosion of worker protections.
The Nordic Countries in particular get much of their income from Imperialism, subsidizing cost of living off the backs of workers in the global south.
Fair enough – “left of centre” then, if we are defining Leftist strictly as just socialist/communist.
Why would it be “left of center” if its Capitalist, not Socialist? It would be right of center.
Because in the centre you have neoliberalism and so on.
If you simply define left as anti-capitalist and right as capitalist then what’s in the center?
Neoliberalism is firmly right-wing.
Politics in general aren’t as simple as absolute values on a line or grid, trying to nail down what “centrism” is is like trying to nail jello to a tree. Everything is in motion.
If you truly need to describe a center, it would be a mixed economy without relying on Imperialism to subsidize safety nets. Social Democracy gets close, but ultimately leans right as it can’t break through that Socialist barrier while maintaining its status as a Social Democracy.
I agree that the Left - Right spectrum is constantly in motion – that’s why these discussions of what constitutes what are often contentious and vary from one country to another.
The Left-Right spectrum isn’t in motion, countries and systems are.