Left or right of your parents?

[AJS-]

I know left and right are very broad terms, but let's roll with it.

In a nut shell, I think Maggie was good, and my parents generally think she was bad. I'm mid 30s, parents are in their 60s.

More expansively, I believe in free market economics, and a small state. I believe criminals should be punished and taken off the streets. I believe individuals, families and communities work best when the government plays a small and distant role, providing a framework for people to interact, rather than providing the substance of our interactions. And I believe a sovereign, democratic nation state with a relatively well defined moral and cultural identity is the best way to achieve this.

I would describe myself as a libertarian, but for the purpose of simplicity I am comfortable with the label right wing.

I'm 34 and my parents are in their 60s.

[davepoth]

I'm probably to the right of them. Libertarianism appeals, but I like to think of myself as a pragmatist; the NHS is a prime example of socialism but because it works better than a free market health system I'm all for it.

[mattnunn]

You can take a test here that will explain all.

I thought I was fairly right of centre but turns out I'm not, I'm somewhere between Ghandi and Nelson Mandela, my parents think they're well left of centre, especially mum, but I have a suspicion it's all an conceit

Truth is it's a load of bks.

Edited to change Chairman Mao to Nelson Mandela, don't know why Mao popped into my head, it must be that 12ft poster in my bedroom.

Edited by mattnunn on Wednesday 1st August 18:42

[mattnunn]

davepoth said:

I'm probably to the right of them. Libertarianism appeals, but I like to think of myself as a pragmatist; the NHS is a prime example of socialism but because it works better than a free market health system I'm all for it.

It doesn't, although you could argue it's centrally funded still just not government run, it's confusing for sure, pragmatism is easilly masked.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19073700

[Jasandjules]

Left for some things, right for others.

[DieselGriff]

I can't say about my Mother as she died before the subject really came up I remember she was fairly libertarian, believed in personal responsibility and thought the free market a better situation than a centrally led economy. However she also had a strong belief that state intervention was good in certain areas such as the armed forces, police and health.

My Father has always faired better under a Conservative government but can't see it, grew up on a council estate in West Yorkshire and believes that right wing means the crushing of the common man for the gain of rich bankers (and the like).

So much more right wing than my Father is, but probably only slightly more than my Mother was.

[LukeSi]

Oh god I'm a leftie. Shoot me now. On a serious note it is probably because I have no problem with things like same sex marriage, I think it is weird but I think, if they want to be like that then so be it.
My political compass worked out Economic Left/Right: -1.25, Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.00.
Whereas I think my parents would be a bit less Right wing than Maggie Thatcher, simply because of the differences in the world between now and when they were young.
My parents did well under Thatcher so agree with a lot of her values.
I'm 17 and my parents are early 50s.

Edited by LukeSi on Wednesday 1st August 18:27

Edited by LukeSi on Thursday 2nd August 11:20

[HundredthIdiot]

My mother was a pinko commie but has become steadily more right wing over the years (normal pattern I think). Still left of Brown, but she's not dead yet so there is scope for improvement.

My father was always right wing. I remember him moaning about income taxes when I was a young teenager, and me telling him he should pay more because he could afford to run a 911.

[dandarez]

AJS- said:

I know left and right are very broad terms, but let's roll with it.

In a nut shell, I think Maggie was good, and my parents generally think she was bad. I'm mid 30s, parents are in their 60s.

More expansively, I believe in free market economics, and a small state. I believe criminals should be punished and taken off the streets. I believe individuals, families and communities work best when the government plays a small and distant role, providing a framework for people to interact, rather than providing the substance of our interactions. And I believe a sovereign, democratic nation state with a relatively well defined moral and cultural identity is the best way to achieve this.

I would describe myself as a libertarian, but for the purpose of simplicity I am comfortable with the label right wing.

I'm 34 and my parents are in their 60s.

You didn't need to repeat about your and your parents' age.

[Oakey]

mattnunn said:

You can take a test here that will explain all.

I thought I was fairly right of centre but turns out I'm not, I'm somewhere between Ghandi and Nelson Mandela, my parents think they're well left of centre, especially mum, but I have a suspicion it's all an conceit

Truth is it's a load of bks.

Edited to change Chairman Mao to Nelson Mandela, don't know why Mao popped into my head, it must be that 12ft poster in my bedroom.

Edited by mattnunn on Wednesday 1st August 18:42

Ha, I too am Nelson Mandela. A terrorist then?

[XCP]

My father has dementia. I suspect he is a Tory.
My late mother was Labour.

[blueg33]

Right of my mother, a little left of my father

[martin84]

XCP said:

My father has dementia. I suspect he is a Tory.
My late mother was Labour.

[Monkeylegend]

Neither, I am 6 foot above mine.

[Pesty]

Far far to the right on some things far to the left on others.

[Ganglandboss]

My mum probably just votes whoever my dad votes. My dad has mostly voted Conservative during my lifetime (UKIP more recently) but used to be a commie. He was a very active trade unionist when he was younger and would try to recruit union members to his cause. He still has his old toolbox with a hammer and sickle painted on it. Apparently, he was talking commie gibberish to someone and an old bloke he worked with turned to him and said, "Communism - it's a load of b*ll*cks, isn't it?". This is all it took to make him examine his political beliefs.

I have never had a hammer and sickle on my toolbox, but then again, I do not believe every word that is printed in the Daily Mail as he does!

[martin84]

My parents are a little tricky to define politically. Neither are that interested in politics really, neither has ever done any campaigning or got involved in any causes. They're just people who like to go to work, come home and do their own thing. They've always voted Labour since the year dot which does conflict a little bit with many of their political sentiments, but trying to convince my parents to vote for a Conservative is like trying to nail orange juice to the ceiling.

[BruceV8]

Most of my family call themselves working class socialists but I enjoy the sport of pointing how, by any measurable standard, they are not. They all believe in the 'Thatcher was the devil in drag' dogma and no amount of argument, or logic, or facts can change that. I like to tell them that, politically, they are stuck in 1986.

I love them all to bits and enjoy their company immensely. But I seem to be the only one that formed a worldview different from the prevailing family and community traditions and doctrine.

[martin84]

In fairness to my parents with my mother being disabled the only party she can vote for is Labour. Conservatives do want to cut help and benefits for the disabled (and have already done so) so that was the main basis of her voting Labour in 2010.

My father thinks vandals and thieves should be hung upside down from streetlamps, 'bloody foreigners' should be deported, Britain should tell the EU to take a long walk off a short pier and anybody who doesn't travel by car simply hasn't worked hard enough. He's always voted Labour as well though because there's no way in hell he's voting for 'posh hooray henries.'

Neither of my parents have ever worked in the public sector by the way. They have about half a century between them of honest private sector work.

[Bibbs]

Parents are very right wing. Think Maggie was great etc.

I'm even further to the right.