Left and right
Also called: Left-wing and right-wing · Topic: Politics of Planned Development · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 3 "Politics of Planned Development"
Meaning
Left and right are labels for where people stand on how the economy should be run. The left wants the state to control and regulate the economy rather than leave it to free competition. The right trusts free competition and markets, and wants as little government intervention as possible. These labels help us see the sides in India's early fights over planning: how much should the state do, and how much should be left to private business?
Example
In the 1960s, the Swatantra Party (formed in 1959) stood on the right. The Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Socialists stood on the left. The Congress stood at the centre or left of centre. Its vague mix of state control and help to private investors drew attacks from both sides.
Don't confuse with
- Liberal-capitalist vs Soviet model: these are whole paths of development followed by countries. Left and right are positions that parties and people take within one country's politics.