Monday, July 24, 2006
Leftist, Liberal, Conservative, Rightist
Leftist, Liberal, Conservative, Rightist
American Political Nomenclature
I have noticed an asymmetry in much American political discourse. There's a big difference between liberals and leftists; this is recognized in the common and distinct usage of both terms. But there are also important differences on the right-side of the political spectrum that are not so recognized. Typically the word "conservative" gets modified into something like "arch-" or "ultra-conservative." I propose that we replace such terms with "rightist." This has a pleasing symmetry and recognizes that no important group is monolithic. I will endeavor to use this terminology in this blog.
American Political Nomenclature
I have noticed an asymmetry in much American political discourse. There's a big difference between liberals and leftists; this is recognized in the common and distinct usage of both terms. But there are also important differences on the right-side of the political spectrum that are not so recognized. Typically the word "conservative" gets modified into something like "arch-" or "ultra-conservative." I propose that we replace such terms with "rightist." This has a pleasing symmetry and recognizes that no important group is monolithic. I will endeavor to use this terminology in this blog.
