4 ms·

To me "leftist" has certain idealogical connotations, as in trying out a particular system of government that emphasizes strong and omni-present governmental co

by kghose 13y ago

To me "leftist" has certain idealogical connotations, as in trying out a particular system of government that emphasizes strong and omni-present governmental control (like the USSR, for example). In my opinion the countries listed are not leftist, they are simply very, very corrupt with very poor law and order and poor government accountability and democratic in name only. I don't think they are "leftist"; they are just very corrupt and the majority of people are powerless to change it because criminal and military elements are opposing them.

_delirium 13y ago
a particular system of government that emphasizes strong and omni-present governmental control That's just "authoritarian", which isn't really limited to a specific place on the left-right spectrum. You can have left-wing governments based on strong state control and security services (USSR, GDR, Cuba), as well as right-wing ones based on the same (Francoist Spain, Pinochet-era Chile, Iran, apartheid South Africa).
smutticus 13y ago
Your definition of 'left' and 'right' in politics is quite simply just wrong. Both left and right can descend into state control just as easily. Fascism, for example, is a far-right ideology. I also don't know why you think Venezuela is less democratic then many other N Hemispheric countries. But having no comparison with which to judge I don't know how corrupt a country needs to be in order to register as 'very, very corrupt' on your radar.
- bosstwizz 13y ago
  relevant: http://www.transparency.org/country#VEN http://www.transparency.org/country#VEN Corruption perceptions index score: 19/100 (100 = least corrupt) World rank: 165/176
- Kurtz79 13y ago
  To his credit, he did not say that all ideologies where heavy government presence is prominent are left-inspired. He said that the word "leftist" implies certain characteristics, among them heavy government presence. I struggle to think of a real-life example where this is not the case.
  - lmm 13y ago
    A few anarchist communes existed in real life, at least for a while.

by kghose 13y ago

_delirium 13y ago

a particular system of government that emphasizes strong and omni-present governmental control That's just "authoritarian", which isn't really limited to a specific place on the left-right spectrum. You can have left-wing governments based on strong state control and security services (USSR, GDR, Cuba), as well as right-wing ones based on the same (Francoist Spain, Pinochet-era Chile, Iran, apartheid South Africa).

smutticus 13y ago

Your definition of 'left' and 'right' in politics is quite simply just wrong. Both left and right can descend into state control just as easily. Fascism, for example, is a far-right ideology. I also don't know why you think Venezuela is less democratic then many other N Hemispheric countries. But having no comparison with which to judge I don't know how corrupt a country needs to be in order to register as 'very, very corrupt' on your radar.

bosstwizz 13y ago
relevant: http://www.transparency.org/country#VEN http://www.transparency.org/country#VEN Corruption perceptions index score: 19/100 (100 = least corrupt) World rank: 165/176
Kurtz79 13y ago
To his credit, he did not say that all ideologies where heavy government presence is prominent are left-inspired. He said that the word "leftist" implies certain characteristics, among them heavy government presence. I struggle to think of a real-life example where this is not the case.
- lmm 13y ago
  A few anarchist communes existed in real life, at least for a while.