Right-wing politics

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Terms like right wing and rightist before World War II indicated to the Fascist side of the political spectrum. Then the "left" meant Communists and most other socialists, while the "right" meant Nazis and Fascists. The meaning of the term has gradually shifted over the intervening 90 years.

While "right wing" continues to suggest opposition to Communism, it no longer means support for the totalitarianism of Hitler, who has become a universally condemned figure.

Banana republics and other authoritarian regimes supported by the United States are called "right wing" nowadays. This usage is ambiguous. It suggests that these regimes are totalitarian in the Nazi sense, which is generally incorrect.

Usage of terms like "right wing" and "far right" by liberals about conservatives is usually intended to conjure up images of Nazi genocide. Indeed, some critics openly liken Israel and its leaders to "Nazis", even though Israel is the most democratic country in the entire Middle East.

In modern politics, the term right wing is used by liberals in their attempt to make conservatives look extreme and unreasonable.

Example usage is, "He's a right-winger!" rather than simply, "He's conservative."

The term is used less frequently by liberals now because it has lost much of its pejorative effect.

The term Rightist refers to someone on the 'right' side of the political spectrum. Politics on the 'right' usually imply taking positions in favor of the traditional system of a society, including its traditional values and its traditional ruling institutions. Compare: leftist. Following the left-right political spectrum, a "Right-Winger" could be referred to as anyone who favors having marginally more economic than social rights.

It is widely accepted, however, that there is not just one dimension of political thought, so that people can unambiguously be classified as 'right' or 'left'. Nonetheless, the political spectrum theory still has wide currency.