很常聽到別人形容某個政治人物太左派、某個政黨是極右派,這到底是什麼意思呢?其實左和右是相對的概念,而且可以套用到每個意識形態上。我大概這樣解釋:
左派(又稱左翼):自由、創新,主張積極改革,把舊的意識形態和制度革除。
右派(又稱右翼):保守,主張穩妥、秩序、漸進、緩慢的改革方式,強調維護舊有傳統。
左右派可以運用的地方很多,通常被用來形容兩個完全對立的意識形態或政治立場。例如:
革新為左;保守為右 / 集體主義為左;個人主義為右
歐洲整合化為左;疑歐派為右 / 國際主義為左;民族主義為右
社會主義為左;資本主義為右 / 環保優先為左;開發優先為右
也就是說,一個人身上可以有很多張標籤。他可能很喜歡賺錢、追求名利(右),但同一時間他又吃素、在意動物保護(左)。她可能是虔誠的天主教徒、主張反墮胎(右),但她重視氣候變遷、認真做環保(左)。而在左派政黨裡(例如美國民主黨),又可能有「相對」右派的人。所以盡量不要用單一標籤歸納他人,避免一不小心因人廢言了。
It is very common to hear others describe a certain political figure as being too leftist and a certain political party as being far right. What does this mean exactly? In fact, left and right are relative concepts and can be applied to every ideology. Let me put it this way:
Right (also known as right wing): conservative, prefer steady, orderly, gradual, and slow reformation, and focus on upholding tradition.
Left (also known as left wing): free, innovative, pro-active reformation, and the abolishment of old ideologies and systems.
There are many places where left and right can be applied, and they are usually used to describe two completely opposite ideologies or political positions. For example:
Reformism is left and conservatism is right; collectivism is left, and individualism is right.
Pro-European integration is left and Euroscepticism is right; internationalism is left, and nationalism is right.
Socialism is left and capitalism is right; preferring environmental protection is left and preferring development is right.
That is to say a person can have many labels at the same time. A person may enjoy making money and pursuing fame and fortune (right) but at the same time they are vegan and care about animal protection (left). Another may be a devout Catholic and is pro-life (right) while being concerned about climate change and putting environmental protection into practice (left). In a left-wing party (such as the U.S. Democratic Party), there may be people who are “relatively” right-leaning. So, let’s not try to define a person with one single label, to avoid being ad hominem.