re: #850 Obdicut

Well, it was defined against a monarchical scale, so it’s severely different, yes. But ‘right’ and ‘left’ are basically self-identified terms, anyway. If we define ‘right’ as being on the conservative side, then the ‘right’ were the ones who wanted to keep the King and monarchy, but reform the system in general. If we define ‘right’ in terms of authoritarianism, then Robespierre’s group was probably the farthest on the ‘right’.

I don’t think anyone of relevance defines “‘right’ in terms of authoritarianism”. There is and has been authoritarian on the right as well as on the left. I think the Wikipedia article definitions of left and right are rather accurate, saying that left-wing politics implies “support for social change with a view towards creating a more egalitarian society” and that right-wing politics implies “support for social stratification with the preservation of traditional social orders and values.”

Both the French and the American revolutions were driven by civilians — but in the case of the French against an absolute monarchy while the American against a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. I think it is this background of “traditional social orders and values” and also taking into account the “stratification” question against which the two Revolutions should be classified into left or right.