Several political scientists have noted that a single left–right axis is too simplistic and insufficient for describing the existing variation in political beliefs and include other axes to compensate for this problem.[1][9] Although the descriptive words at polar opposites may vary, the axes of popular biaxial spectra are usually split between economic issues (on a left–right dimension) and socio-cultural issues (on an authority–liberty dimension).[1][10]

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[–] Rose@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago (2 children)

How would that even work in the real world though? There cannot be even a hint at equality under authoritarianism. Someone is always at the top, and maintaining that kind of power is going to require restrictions and oppression.

[–] Tolc@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

who told you leftism = no hierarchy?

[–] Womble@piefed.world 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yet the USSR existed for a long time and PRC still does.

[–] Rose@lemmy.zip 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (1 children)

Which part of those countries is leftist? Calling each citizen a tovarish does not mean there was social equality or progressivism, depending on which definition of leftism you'd use.

[–] Womble@piefed.world 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

If you want to claim no left wing states exist or have ever existed then fair enough, but generally things are compared to others. The USSR (especially the early years) was more egalitarian than the USA and so was more left wing, despite being authoritarian.

[–] Rose@lemmy.zip -1 points 5 days ago

That's a very strange way of looking at it. If there's a far-right person and someone is comparably moderate, that doesn't mean they're "more left wing". That could easily mean they're just right-wing.

If someone is not stealing from their own country at the rate of Putin for example, that says little to nothing about the politics, human rights and equality in that country. The richest or specifically the ruling class in an African country may be worse off than those in the US or Russia, but that does not speak to the nature of either regime or make either more left-wing.