Left and right: concepts, concreteness and procedures in contemporary democracy

Abstract

The present article is settled in the proposition of debate and establishes the distinctions between left and right ideology, according to Norberto Bobbio (1909-2004) philosophical concepts. As an important intellectual that had made a crucial discussion about moderate politics, Bobbio intended to demonstrate how those concepts were related to ideological crises in the 20th century, as well the procedures of the left and right practices in the political arena, attempting to define the distinctiveness of one and another. Taking his thoughts as guidance, the following reflections will be sorted in order to: primarily, understand how “left” and “right” were bound within a political sense; secondarily, investigate their historical extent and, lastly, how to identify and distinguish both of them in the contemporary political praxis. The author's proposal is justified due to the present scenario, overwhelmed by fake news and radicalized political thoughts. In order to unravel the Manichean understanding of good versus evil, the discussions have no intention other than to clarify and elucidate the political distinction between left and right, using as benchmark Bobbio’s thoughts about freedom, equality and attachment to social conditions, citizenry and policy.