Trevor Watkins explores the ideological divide between the left and right, evaluating their positions on issues like equality, nationalism, and individual rights. He argues that both sides, despite their differences, often sacrifice individual freedom for collective goals. From an individualist perspective, Watkins critiques identity politics, state control, and social engineering, suggesting that true autonomy lies beyond the left-right spectrum, aligning instead with libertarian principles focused on personal liberty and consent.
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By Trevor Watkins*
The left–right political spectrum is a system of classifying political positions which originated during the French Revolution, based on the seating in the French National Assembly.
The “left” values social equality, diversity and inclusion, while the “right” values respect, the rule of law, and individual rights. If USA politics is anything to go by, these positions are diametrically opposed and irreconcilable. Economically the left is socialist, the right capitalist. The left favours “big” government, widespread regulation, and community. The right prefers limited government, reduced regulations, and individual rights. Who is right? What is left? Which position aligns closest with individualism?
Both sides believe their approach is best for humanity. Both sides believe in the same freedoms – of the individual, of speech, of religion. Both sides deplore violence, theft, cruelty, fraud, racism. Both sides believe in the inherent goodness in human nature.
The left favours kindness and empathy, the right favours justice and duty. Nevertheless, most western states flip-flop between left and right governments every 4 to 8 years yet appear to prosper under both. What can these ideologies learn from each other?
Internationalism vs Nationalism
The left favours internationalism. Internationalists believe that humans should ignore national, political, cultural, racial, or class boundaries to advance their common interests. They favour free trade, the elimination of borders, free and unfettered travel for individuals.
The right favours nationalism. Nationalists hold that the nation should be congruent with the state. Nationalists regard the individual as subordinate to the state, which to them is the only rightful source of political power. It is antithetical to individual rights.
Score 1 for the left.
Equity vs equality
The modern progressive left has embraced equality of outcome as an alternative to equality of opportunity. Equity seeks to identify victims and ensure fairness in treatment. Equity is essentially impossible but provides endless opportunities for well-meaning busybodies to interfere in the affairs of others.
Equality treats all individuals equally, despite their differences. It believes in equal opportunities for all on a level playing field.
Score 1 for the right.
Identity vs individuality
Identity politics is based on a particular identity, such as ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, denomination, gender, sexual orientation, social background, caste, and social class.
It reached a peak under the apartheid regime in South Africa. It seeks to separate people into groups using immutable characteristics. It is a nonsense.
Individuality treats each unique individual equally, without special harm or favour. It does not make or enforce arbitrary distinctions between people. It is the polar opposite of identity politics. Unfortunately, many countries still enforce identity discrimination, not least the current South African government.
Score 1 for the right.
Community vs individual
Left-wingers claim that human development flourishes when individuals engage in cooperative, mutually respectful relations where excessive differences in status, power, and wealth are eliminated. They reject competition as aggressive and unfair. They believe in regulation of the market. They favour progressive taxation as a means to level the playing field.
Right-wingers believe that human potential flourishes with freedom and competition. They reject excessive state interference, reward differences and innovation, and believe that wealth is a measure of success. They favour minimum or zero taxation. They believe in free markets.
The economic results speak for themselves, with many leftwing jurisdictions mired in poverty.
Score 1 for the right.
Right to life
The left believes in the individual’s right to their own life and lifestyle. They believe you have an inalienable right to your own life, and to your own death. You decide what goes into your body, for better or worse. Like men, women alone are responsible for their own bodies. While a foetus is a part of a woman’s body, she decides how it will be handled.
The right believes that you share ownership of your body with the state, with religious authorities, with politicians, experts and fanatics. They believe they can conscript you, send you to war, decide what to inject into you, execute you, and decide the fate of a foetus still within you.
Score 1 for the left.
Conclusion
By this analysis, the leftist positions are 40% reasonable, while the right wins at 60%. Of course it is not that simple. Hopefully this essay will give both sides some pause for thought.
An individualist perspective
I am an individualist. I consider myself above the tawdry issues of the left and right. As with the Nolan chart, libertarian/individualist values appear at the top of the chart, with left and right values in the middle, and authoritarian values at the bottom. Fundamental individualist issues such as harm and consent do not appear in the left-right calculus. The left sees the individual as a subordinate member of a community, while the right views the individual as merely a cog in a state powered machine.
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*Trevor Watkins is the founder of the Individualist Movement, the author of two books, and a contributing author for the Free Market Foundation. He publishes on a blog at libertarian.org.za. The views expressed in the article are the author’s and not necessarily shared by the members of the Foundation.
