leftist

Leftist, or left-wing, refers to a person who holds political views associated with the left of the political spectrum. Leftists typically advocate social equality, collective or governmental action to reduce economic and social disparities, workers’ rights, and civil liberties. They may support policies such as progressive taxation, universal healthcare, public education, strong social safety nets, and regulations aimed at environmental protection.

The term originates from the seating arrangement in the French National Assembly after the 1789 Revolution, where deputies who favored reform and more radical change sat on the left. Since then, "left" and "leftist" have been applied to a wide range of movements and parties, from social democracy to communism.

Leftist currents include social democrats, democratic socialists, communists, eco-socialists, and anarchists, who differ on means but share concerns about inequality and power structures. In practice, leftists may push for wealth redistribution, expanded public services, worker control, or participatory democracy, though approaches vary by country.

In different regions, the term has different connotations. In Western Europe, leftists often participate in coalition governments within welfare states; in the United States, it is frequently associated with progressives and democratic socialists. In media and political discourse, calling someone a leftist can be neutral, descriptive, or pejorative depending on context.