The Political Spectrum: Left vs. Right Ideologies in Modern Politics

When most of us think about politics, we think of different views as sitting on a spectrum. Left wing is at one end, right wing at the other. The standard view of American political ideology says that politics is largely a clash between two worldviews that can be modeled on a political spectrum. But is it really that simple?

Yanna Krupnikov probes the motivations of Americans who avoid politics — but often vote. The biggest divide in our politics isn't between left and right, but between those who engage with the issues and those who choose to remain on the sidelines. This raises the question: How do we define right versus left without referring to something as basic as the placement of political views on a spectrum?

In France, a tense alliance between centrist and leftist parties has kept the far-right National Rally party at bay, according to exit polls. A left-wing alliance recently won the most seats in the French parliament after tactical voting in a second round election. However, they fell far short of a majority, with Macron's coalition coming in second.

On July 7, a coalition of left-wing parties won a surprise victory in a French election, while the National Rally party came in third. This demonstrates the complex dynamics at play in politics, where alliances and strategic voting can greatly impact the outcome of elections.

In a recent move, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier, a right-wing politician, to a key position in his administration. This decision showcases the diversity of ideologies within a single political party, further blurring the lines between left and right.

This chart shows the share of respondents who self-identified as holding the following political positions (in percent). It is clear that political ideology is not as black and white as the traditional left-right spectrum suggests, with many individuals falling somewhere in between the two extremes.