Editing Politics (section)

==== Left–right spectrum ====
{{Main|Left–right political spectrum}}
A common way of understanding politics is through the [[left–right political spectrum]], which ranges from [[left-wing politics]] via [[centrism]] to [[right-wing politics]]. This classification is comparatively recent and dates from the [[French Revolution]], when those members of the [[National Assembly]] who supported the [[republic]], the common people and a [[secular society]] sat on the left and supporters of the [[monarchy]], [[aristocracy (class)|aristocratic]] privilege and the Church sat on the right.<ref name="Knapp">{{cite book |last1=Knapp |first1=Andrew |title=The Government and Politics of France |last2=Wright |first2=Vincent |publisher=Routledge |year=2006 |location=London}}</ref>

Today, the left is generally [[Progressivism|progressivist]], seeking social [[progress]] in [[society]]. The more extreme elements of the left, named the [[Far-left politics|far-left]], tend to support [[revolution]]ary means for achieving this. This includes ideologies such as [[Communism]] and [[Marxism]]. The [[Centre-left politics|center-left]], on the other hand, advocates for more [[Reformism|reformist]] approaches, for example that of [[social democracy]].

In contrast, the right is generally motivated by [[conservatism]], which seeks to conserve what it sees as the important elements of society such as law and order, limited government and preserving individual freedoms. The [[Far-right politics|far-right]] goes beyond this, and often represents a [[reactionary]] turn against progress, seeking to undo it. Examples of such ideologies have included [[Fascism]] and [[Nazism]]. The [[Centre-right politics|center-right]] may be less clear-cut and more mixed in this regard, with [[Neoconservatism|neoconservatives]] supporting the spread of [[free market]]s and [[capitalism]], and [[One-nation conservatism|one-nation conservatives]] more open to social welfare programs.

According to [[Norberto Bobbio]], one of the major exponents of this distinction, the left believes in attempting to eradicate social inequality—believing it to be unethical or unnatural,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gelderloos |first1=Peter |title=Anarchy Works |year=2010}}</ref> while the right regards most social inequality as the result of ineradicable natural inequalities, and sees attempts to enforce social equality as utopian or authoritarian.<ref name="Bobbio">{{harvnb|Bobbio|1997}}.</ref>
Some ideologies, notably [[Christian Democracy]], claim to combine left and right-wing politics; according to Geoffrey K. Roberts and Patricia Hogwood, "In terms of ideology, Christian Democracy has incorporated many of the views held by liberals, conservatives and socialists within a wider framework of moral and Christian principles."<ref>{{harvnb|Roberts|Hogwood|1997}}.</ref> Movements which claim or formerly claimed to be above the left-right divide include Fascist [[Terza Posizione]] economic politics in Italy and [[Peronism]] in Argentina.<ref>{{harvnb|Tore|2014}}.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=bale p.40 |url=https://www.miis.edu/media/view/18971/original/balenouvelleresarticle.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330043520/https://www.miis.edu/media/view/18971/original/balenouvelleresarticle.pdf |archive-date=30 March 2017 |access-date=25 February 2018}}</ref>