Far left
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The term far left refers to the relative position a person or group occupies within the left-right political spectrum.
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[edit] History
Originally the term was used to consider the arrangements of seating in the French Assembly during the French Revolution with the most radical of the Jacobins being seated on the far left of the chamber. The term "Jacobin" for a kind of far left person continued throughout much of the 19th century.
In modern times it is ideally used to describe persons or groups who hold radical egalitarian views thus supporting radical, social and political change by taking over or overthrowing the existing order in society. It can also include an anarchistic hostility to most or all existing hierarchical organizations. Between groups on the far left, depending on a group's militancy and the given political circumstances, revolutionary change may be achieved through democratic or authoritarian, violent or nonviolent means.
The term "far left" must be understood as relative to either the speaker or the context in which they are speaking. Two hundred years ago, for example, anyone who supported secularism and universal suffrage probably would have been seen as on the far left in politics.
[edit] Confusion in the term
The far left and the radical left (or extreme left) often overlap in terms of belief, tactics, strategy, and organizational affiliation, but the far left is a more general term that can include groups and politics that the radical left in particular might explicitly oppose and denounce. The term ultra-left, meanwhile, is distinct from both of the aforementined classifications, and is a term more often used pejoratively than self-descriptively.
[edit] Application of the term
In some nations and among different groups, the usage of the term "far-left" varies. Although the legitimacy of its modern use is a subject of debate, its application may refer to the sphere of economics or a social platform. In both cases, it may be used pejoratively.
[edit] Economic Application
Traditionally, the far-left can be interpreted to include Trotskyism, Maoism, anarcho-communism, anarcho-syndicalism. What seems to distinguish the left from the far-left is often a matter of "extremities". In nations where Communist parties are not acceptable, like the United States, it can simply mean to the "left of the most left-wing member of the legislature". For much of the English speaking world - especially Australia and the US - it is sometimes a pejorative term to indicate a person is extreme or fringe in their left-wing views. However, in France, the term extrême-gauche is normally only used for Trotskyists, Maoists or other New Leftists, or anarchist groups, while the French Communist Party is not considered far left. Some groups considered to be far-left do not actually wish to govern within the current institutional framework, and this may be what distinguishes them from other left-leaning groups in terms of politics.
[edit] Social philosophy
Both the "left" and the "far-left" tend to take a strong position against nationalism, the traditional, hierarchal order and dismiss notions of race or classifications within humanity in general. The far-left may also include those who are generally opposed to traditional ideas regarding social order. Generally speaking, the far-left is supportive of an intense "cultural revolution" along anti-traditional lines, as is the case in radical feminism. In terms of social philosophies, those identified as "far-left" vary from country to country and those who may be considered "left" by some may be viewed as "far-left" by others. As is also the case with economic matters, What seems to distinguish the "far-left" from the "left" is the latter group, identify with - or are percieved to support - a position that is less extreme than the "far-left", generally speaking.
[edit] Critique of the term
Some, such as F.A. Hayek, find that left-right terminology only describes economics. If such a position is taken, the more appropriate term to describe the "far-left" of social philosophy would be "extreme liberalism". The bi-polar left-right model poses a number of problems when applied beyond economics. For instance, whereas the typical "liberal" society embraces the free-market ideology, the far-left is highly skeptical of capitalism arguing that it in fact decreases overall freedom within a society (see Michael D. Yates Naming the System, from the Monthly Review press, 2003). Also, while capitalism is identified with the "right", what is branded the "far-right" is not necessarily the antithesis of the "far-left", especially if the issue at hand is international capitalism.
