My History Can Beat Up Your Politics "LEFT AND RIGHT" IN POLITICS, THE UNUSED PART OF THE 25TH and Other Thoughts
Apr 20, 2026
A lively dive into how left and right started with seating at the French Revolution and how those labels migrated to America. The conversation explores other political axes like pro- versus anti-establishment and why simple left-right labels can fail. Listeners also hear a debate about Section 4 of the 25th Amendment and the risks of Congress creating substitute mechanisms for presidential incapacity.
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How Left And Right Began In The French Assembly
- The terms left and right in politics originate from seating in the French National Assembly during the 1789 Revolution.
- Monarchists sat on the right, revolutionaries on the left, and the middle held persuadable delegates, which shaped modern political labels.
Political Labels Often Hide Mixed Ideologies
- Labels like left/right or liberal/conservative are incomplete and hide complexity; politicians can mix positions across issues and roles.
- Example: Ronald Reagan used right-wing rhetoric as candidate but pursued policies (arms control, tax reform) that confounded strict labels.
Revolutionary Factions Cemented Political Labels
- Left-right labels persisted even after monarchy fell because groups like the Jacobins (the Mountain) and Girondins naturally clustered by seating and ideology.
- These divisions became embedded in European and American political rhetoric through the 19th century.
