Why do we say “left” and “right” for political views?

Today, we use the words "left" and "right" in an attempt to explain our viewpoints on the political spectrum, but why do we use THESE words in particular? How did this system begin, and how did it come to the highly polarized system we see today in the United States? The highly polarized "left" and "right" didn't always exist in the form we're now very familiar with, and politics has changed and shifted a LOT, even in just the last hundred years. Not only have parties in the United States changed, but so have core ideas. And they'll probably continue to change! It's a fascinating topic that will only continue to evolve, so I hope you enjoy learning all about it!

00:00 Start
00:28 France Started It
01:18 "Left" and "Right" Enter English (Sort of)
02:41 FDR Shakes up the Vocab
03:56 Why the Word "Liberal" Matters
05:26 "Left" and "Right" as Identities




I Side With (the robust quiz I mention in the video that will point you to the groups and parties that align with your viewpoints):
www.isidewith.com/political-quiz

My key sources for this video:
Time Magazine: What to know about the origins of "left" and "right in politics, from the French Revolution to the 2020 presidential race
time.com/5673239/left-right-politics-origins/

A Political History of the Welfare State:
books.google.co.jp/books?id=GOfdvp_GQ34C&pg=PA38&r…

University of Washington: Radicalism in the Great Depression
depts.washington.edu/depress/radicalism.shtml