I am left wing but what does that mean?

Recently I was asked quite normally where on the political spectrum I considered myself to sit and I said Left wing like I had dozens of times before, except this time the persons look soured and it looked as though they lost respect for me since I identified as left wing. I was shocked and confused why did this person think this and why was it deemed a less respectful political ideology. I decided to reevaluate my position, was I still left wing? Has my position changed? Has the positions of the left changed? What does it mean to be left wing in 2017?

Why do I consider myself to be left wing? Well traditionally the left wing is more supportive of the welfare state, equitable actions by the state to make everyone equal, basically more socialist actions and ideals. Myself I believe in a nation where we have A fully funded NHS, where education is a right, not a privilege where the economy is built on public spending, not public suffering.

So why am I uncertain? Well, I also, think that the country shouldn’t vary requirements for immigration based on whether if the applicant was lucky enough to be born in an EU country, I do believe in helping refugees third world peoples, however, I do believe that we are going the wrong way about it both Charitably and with state interventions. All of which are considered right and far right views.

However, I completely and utterly disagree with the ownership of nuclear weapons, I wholeheartedly believe that many environmental issues could be solved with current technologies or by financing certain projects yet government does not seem interested, also I consider our First past the post system for electing people to office is very unrepresentative and at best not the most democratic system largely since to my knowledge there hasn’t been a government in 70 years that has been given a mandate to govern by the majority of the electorate. All of which are considered far left opinions.

Mostly though I consider myself a democrat. By that I believe that democracy should be respected and accepted, I accept that not everyone will agree with me and not only is that ok but good since I don’t claim to have all the solutions and I need to listen to other points of view to improve my own. Not only this I truly believe that Members of parliament are supposed to listen and act how the majority of their constituents would want (regardless of personal opinion, religion, or party) and that government ministers while following through on intentions, they should be clear about them and that if public opinion is against a decision then it shouldn’t happen and if the public protests an action it should be reviewed.

So, overall I am left-wing my political views are left wing, then you might ask why wouldn’t I be considered left wing? Firstly, Brexit I voted out which in the eyes of some makes me automatically right wing. Secondly, I am a labour member, historically that would make me a left wing. However, since 1997 labour has shifted into the middle liberal area this has been made evident when Jeremy Corbyn took over.

The Socialist Democratic party was thrown into chaos when the most socialist democratic leader took over, they tried several times to have him removed and most of the Parliamentary Labour Party rebel and refuse to follow a path “not for labour” and spend more time complaining about Brexit and disenfranchising members and voters than representing their constituents, not to mention the highly questionable competitive outsourcing of NHS contracts and the voting track records that are almost indistinguishable from liberal democrats even conservative track records.

So that’s why I might not be considered left wing but why is left bad? Well over the past few years it has been a questionable trait of several “left-wing” public figures to insult their opponents and attempt to discredit their position. This was most prevalent in the EU referendum campaign. In these campaigns, millions of people were shouted at heckled and told they were racists, xenophobic and discriminatory for having a different opinion. It was worse in the US presidential election where too many of the left was making videos designed to humiliate trump supporters by finding and publicising a small percentage, instead of providing alternatives for people to get behind they just told people they were wrong to believe in something other than what the left believed in.

This is an issue of the Left that many have lost the art and will to debate, this is massively worrying it is truly terrifying that the left has lost the ability to change minds to convince new and existing voters that our intentions will better their lives. If the left does not rediscover this skill then for decades to come inequality, suffering and pollution will only get worse.

So what does it mean to be left wing in 2017? in my opinion to be left wing today means actively and respectably trying to change public opinion on the left. increase the number of people who feel the same way you do. the main challenge of the left in the UK in 2017 is that there is no party for the left labour has lost its way, the SNP despite their skilled MPs are too concerned with Scottish independence, the green party is not far too small but many of their policies are laughable. 

Alongside this the majority of left wing people are either students or working class people, it could be decades till people with our opinions and views are in positions that can change the countries direction, so we have to continuously try to influence and change the minds of our elders which is a very difficult task, this isn't to mention the increase in right and far-right views that have swept over western nations since the misguided EU referendum campaigns. 

I understand not all who will read this will be left wing I just hope all who read this understand that it isn't the aim of the left to shut down free thought, avoid debate or insult those who think differently. I don't know a person who isn't socialist if you believe that everyone should have free and equal access to the justice system, that everyone should have free at the point of need healthcare, if everyone should have access to general, further and higher education regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion class or place of birth then you are socialist.

My aim is to show people that the left isn't an ideology, party, qualification or tax bracket I hope to explain that the left isn't socialism but rather how we achieve and maintain it in all aspects of our nation.

Many of you are probably asking what is the left wing?How does it differ from the right?

(be warned I'm not a politics or economics student or master I'm going off what I know feel free to correct me in the comments) 

In my mind the difference between left and right is the right believe if the private sector is flourishing that they will increase profit and that will trickle down to make increased wages and increased spending, while the left feel if the public are supported by the state then they will be more economically secure thus spend more boosting the economy and private sector.

For me history has shown the right wing trickle down economics doesn't work. it relies too heavily on CEOs valuing their workforce putting them before a balance sheet hoping they don't exploit the fact they have most of the power and the worker has none, zero hour contracts and high probationary period turnover and the billions in annual unpaid taxes being examples of how this has failed.

A public supported by the state would place more power in our hands, requiring a company to maintain a standard to keep the workforce and customers. a state-owned industry would allow the people another way to strengthen the economy (since there wouldn't be the threat of tax heavens) but also hold the government to account by threatening to switch to private version. I'm not going to pretend that this is a flawless system since in the 1970s the unions abused this power and the whole sector collapsed. 

In my opinion, an improved left wing system would have less risk, Having state-owned industries would benefit the economy as it would allow more money to stay in the UK economy, it wouldn't rely on businesses making a profit and paying taxes. it's also fairer if the government was in charge of power you wouldn't have the mass exploitation of elderly people who don't have the technical ability to use the internet so pay so much more than their neighbour who used a comparison website.

many of the principles of the left would allow the state to offer the people something to buy into, meaning the UK would be less reliant on transnational businesses and international politics and would reduce the ability of companies to influence the government.