Left wing

Left-wing refers to a type of political position where people who hold these views support social equality whilst opposing forms of social hierarchy and inequality. They are assumed to be concerned about the disadvantaged in society, seeking to reduce or abolish any unjustified inequalities.

In the Estates General, the political assembly in France up to the French Revolution, those who sat on the left hand side generally opposed the monarchy and supported the revolution – wanting a republic created and secularization to be imposed. It was used again to describe the ‘Independents’ after the restoration of the monarchy in 1815. The term “wing” tended to be a disparaging way of referring to those with unorthodox political and religious views.

Another of movements have since been described as left-wing. In the 19th centuries it was applied to socialists, communists and anarchists, followed by civil rights, feminist, anti-war and environmental movements.

Ultimately, left-wing people feel that human development flourishes when individuals engage in cooperative relations with excessive differences in status, power and wealth eliminated.