The left/right distinction is meant to determine if someone is pro- or anti-Capitalism. Saying "I'm as left as you an get without being a socialist" is another way of saying "I'm a right winger"
The left/right distinction isn't meant to determine anything. It's completely meaningless. Someone who describes themselves as, or is described as, a leftist could be anything from a neoliberal to a communist. If you want to say anticapitalist, just say anticapitalist.
Well, that's certiantly how Americans use those terms, but when you enter left spaces, even American ones, we use the academic definitions of the terms. Anti-capitalist could be literally anything and I don't want to associate with monarchists and fascists.
The academic definition of what is a wholly unacademic term? This is hardly something that confines itself to the US, either. If anticapitalist isn't specific enough for you, then I have no idea why you want to use 'the left' instead of something more specific.
The left/right distinction is meant to determine if someone is pro- or anti-Capitalism. Saying "I'm as left as you an get without being a socialist" is another way of saying "I'm a right winger"
"I respect human life as much as you can get without becoming a non-murderer."
phew phew phew that's good
The left/right distinction isn't meant to determine anything. It's completely meaningless. Someone who describes themselves as, or is described as, a leftist could be anything from a neoliberal to a communist. If you want to say anticapitalist, just say anticapitalist.
Well, that's certiantly how Americans use those terms, but when you enter left spaces, even American ones, we use the academic definitions of the terms. Anti-capitalist could be literally anything and I don't want to associate with monarchists and fascists.
The academic definition of what is a wholly unacademic term? This is hardly something that confines itself to the US, either. If anticapitalist isn't specific enough for you, then I have no idea why you want to use 'the left' instead of something more specific.
The left describes socialists and sometimes progressive liberals.
Again, anti-capitalist can mean being a monarchist and a fascists and both socialists and progressives are against associating with those.