The original left/right distinction dates back to the French Revolution. During a brief episode, supporters of the monarchy found themselves sitting on the right and opponents (republicans and anarchists) on the left.
Later, the term conservatism was applied to the ideas of Edmund Burke, who defended a kind of constitutional monarchy.
In that sense, the US founding fathers were radical left-wing revolutionaries. However, that happened a bit before the French Revolution, so the term is anachronistic.
WW1 broke the power of monarchies in much of Europe. Fascism rose in the interwar period between WW1 and WW2 as a kind of Ersatz-Monarchy. The fascist leader did not present himself as the true heir to the throne, but as a man of the people. He did not claim his position “by the grace of god”, but might invoke “providence”. As such, a stout monarchist might genuinely call fascism left-wing. They would also think the US Republicans are left-wing extremists; at least insofar as the Republicans are republican.
Since fascism is in many ways similar to the more authoritarian versions of monarchism, fascist leaders gained the support of old monarchists. There weren’t many of those around, but they still controlled key positions in government and industry. You were not a high military office, government official, or plain rich, if you had not kowtowed to the king.
Because of all the overt similarities in ideology, demographic support, and policy, fascism has always been considered a right wing ideology by any normal observer.
thetentacle@lemmy.world 1 month ago
They got you! Authoritarians LOVE rebranding and confusing language, calling themself democratic people republic. Calling themself nation socialist depsite murdering the disabled! It makes no sense and they love doing it, because it confuses people like you!
muntedcrocodile@hilariouschaos.com 1 month ago
Yeah I ain’t confused. I recommend reading some history books related to the I development of said ideologies. Socialism is an economic system it has nothing to do with mortality or empathy or right a wrong.
Its an excellent thing to support if ur a populist as the majority under any system will have less wealth than the majority (its an expect mathematical distribution u see it everywhere) so collecting votes from the many while disposing of the few is the strategy of socialism. This of course slots in very conveniently with the ideas of eugenics and sacrifice the few undesirables to make the lives of the majority better. Same concept different context.
I believe you my friend are the one who has been got by populist left wing talking points without applying critical thinking.
You are right fascists love changing and confusing language. Now who in america is doing that kind of thing at the moment cos it sure seems like the left is the one playing the word games.
thetentacle@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Yes you are confused. Fascism is not “fundamentally a left wing ideology” because they were friendly with the Nazis. Fascism was right authoritarianism, nazism was right authoritariansim. The Nazis were not a left party. You are completely confused by the “socialist” part in the name. Which they intentionally used to confuse. The term “socialist” was used for propaganda, to attract workers, but their policies were not socialist but were right-wing nationalist, authoritarian, racist. They used “socialist” to mean state control of certain aspects, but not collective ownership, and they opposed Marxist socialism.
80 year old propaganda still confusing you. What kind of books you reading? I’m curious.
muntedcrocodile@hilariouschaos.com 1 month ago
Look at you parroting lemmy.ml arguments like its your fucking gospel.
Fascism’s core ideology of total state control of the economy via corporatism, nationalising industries for the “collective good,” and smashing individual property rights when they don’t serve the masses’ uprising against elitist straight out of leftwing playbooks, just wrapped in a different flag to confuse useful idiots like you.
Mussolini was a proud socialist before he evolved it; Hitler railed against “Jewish capitalism” while building welfare states for the volk.
Your “right-wing” label? That’s the real propaganda, ignoring how both Nazis and fascists gutted markets and unions in pursuit of that egalitarian utopia you secretly love. Read some actual history beyond tankie meme chart and youtube videos titled top 10 reasons to be a communist.
As for books I’m sure u know that both Mussolini and hitler wrote about the development of their ideology and they are both dripping with socialist influences.
General_Effort@lemmy.world 1 month ago
All the notable socialist states, Soviet Russia, Red China, Cuba, arose out of a “2nd amendment solution to tyranny”, as might be said in the US.
The term “socialist” can be used in a much broader sense, but then the meaning is really unclear. I mean, you could call the US a socialist state. The left-wing revolutionaries, who founded it, claimed that all are born equal and fought a war to expropriate the rightfully inherited rights of the king. They even created a constitution to promote the general Welfare without even mentioning the protection of property.