Everything about Far-right totally explained
Far right,
extreme right,
ultra-right, or
radical right are terms used to discuss the
qualitative or
quantitative position a group or person occupies within a
political spectrum.
The terms
far right and
far left are often used to imply that someone is an
extremist. The terms are used by many political commentators to discuss political groups, movements, and political parties that are difficult to classify within conventional
Right-wing politics. The terms
extreme right or
ultra right are used by some scholars to discuss only those right-wing political groups that step outside the boundaries of traditional electoral politics. This generally includes the revolutionary right, militant racial supremacists and religious extremists,
fascists,
neo-fascists,
Nazis,
neo-Nazis and
Klansmen. In this usage, the terms are distinct from other forms of right-wing politics such as the less-militant sectors of the far right, right-wing
populists and the more traditional
conservatives.
The term
far right has been used by scholars in at least three somewhat conflicting ways:
- Reform-oriented right-wing movements or rightist factions of conservative political parties. These are sometimes called the dissident right, activist right, or right-wing populism. They are positioned between traditional conservatives and the extreme right. These participants are found outside mainstream electoral politics, but they generally produce a movement of reform rather than revolution.
- Neo-fascists and neo-Nazis are usually labeled extreme right or ultra right. Such groups are generally revolutionary in character rather than reformist. Neo-Nazi and Neo-fascist literally means "new Nazi" and "new fascist", implying that they're from the period following World War II.
- The whole range of right-wing politics, from the borders of conservatism out to the far reaches of the extreme right.
These categories are not universally accepted, and other uses exist, making comparative use of the term complicated.
Usage
The term
far right is usually rejected by right-wing political parties that consider themselves mainstream. Far right supporters are often strong advocates for forcibly intervening in society in order to protect or promote values that are viewed as traditional. This is in contrast to supporters of
left-wing politics, who advocate intervention in favor of
egalitarianism, and give little or no authority to tradition. Both stand in contrast also to less interventionist positions such as mainstream
conservatism and
liberalism,
anarchism and
libertarianism.
The political terms
left and
right arose during the
French Revolution, and the original meaning of
far right was the
throne-and-altar reactionaries such as
Joseph de Maistre and
Louis de Bonald. They rejected
democracy, liberalism and
individualism, and were in favour of an authoritarian
monarchical government. They further proclaimed the submission of the individual to the so-called "natural associations" (families, regions, professions, nations, etc.). For them, humans should obey their superiors (the father in the family, the king in the state, the
Pope in the Church) on earth because their authority is the mirror of the authority of God in the universe.
The original French meaning of
far right is specific to a
Roman Catholic nation, and more specifically to a
Gallican society in which church and state were closely tied to one another. In this context, the term can be expanded to include the kind of
Caesaropapism that occasionally existed in some
Eastern Orthodox kingdoms. This specific interpretation of the term
far right especially lost favor in the decades following the
Revolutions of 1848, as a return to the Ancien Régime became increasingly implausible. By the reign of
Pope Pius XI, this interpretation of
far right had essentially become anachronistic even in conservative Catholic circles. The last regime that was far-right in this sense was arguably that of General
Francisco Franco in
Spain (1939-1975).
In the 2000s, the term
far right is usually applied to those who support
authoritarianism and policies that are considered
right rather than
left. In regions and nations that have no recent history of monarchy, such as
Central America (discounting the
Pre-Columbian era),
Switzerland, and the
United States, far-right politics is rarely monarchist, and usually advocates harsher law enforcement, particularly against disfavored groups, and sometimes
fascist or
military dictatorship.
The term
far right also embraces extreme
nationalism, and sometimes evokes a
pure ideal of the nation, often defined by
race. They may advocate the expansion or restructuring of existing state borders to achieve an ideal nation, often to the point of embracing
war and
imperialism. In English-speaking nations, this nationalism is often descended from militant aspects of British
New Imperialism.
Radical right-wing populism is a far right ideology that accepts representative democracy, but criticizes supposed political elites and appeals to
ethno-nationalism.
Fascism is generally, but not universally, classified as a far-right ideology. However, right-wing libertarian scholars
F. A. Hayek and
Ludwig von Mises, as well as conservative author
Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, are noteworthy dissenters from that view. Both have labeled fascism
far left, based on their view of the political spectrum that equates
left with support for increased government power and
right with opposition to the same.
Ideologies and movements such as
Strasserism,
National Bolshevism,
Third Position,
National-Anarchism — and the ideologies of
Juan Peron in
Argentina,
Gamal Abdel Nasser in
Egypt, and the
Baath in
Syria and
Iraq — are sometimes regarded as far right, but they transcend standard political boundaries. On one hand, these movements are
anti-communist, but they often recruit among the lower and middle-classes, and when in power, have often
nationalized industries and property, especially that owned by foreigners or by members of ethnicities not defined by them as part of their nation.
Environmentalism, calls for
full employment and other concerns common on the left are sometimes found in the far right.
Populism,
social unrest,
Autarky,
violence, and
revolution can be found in both the far right and far left.
The term "far right" has sometimes been used to describe certain "free market dictatorships", such as that of
Augusto Pinochet in
Chile. While the term is occasionally applied to supporters of
laissez-faire capitalism, calling right-wing libertarians
far right is a matter of controversy. Capitalist libertarians consider themselves proponents of
Classical liberalism, which was the main adversary of the original far right. In his essays "Left and Right: the Prospects for Liberty" and "Confessions of a Right-Wing Liberal", Murray Rothbard even put libertarianism on the left, claiming that conservatives are the right and
socialists merely "middle-of-the road"..
Parties and movements alleged to be far right or extreme right - by region
Europe
European Union - see Euronat
- The Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty group of MEPs is a recently-formed grouping of far right parties in the European Union member states. This group dissolved in early November 2007, due to its Romanian members leaving the group, leaving it with fewer members than the 20 required to form a group in parliament.
Austria
Belgium
Americas
North America
United States
Southwest Asia
Israel - Kach and Kahane Chai
Israel - Yisrael Beiteinu
Turkey - Felicity Party
Turkey - Great Union Party
Turkey - Justice and Development Party (controversial)
Turkey - Nationalist Action Party
Australia, Oceania
Australia
Further Information
Get more info on 'Far-right'.
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