Most left-wing democracy?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

Just a Friday sorta thing. Which (properly democratic) country is most consistently left-wing. Sorta-countries like Scotland count. Scotland and Sweden seem like good starters, but what do you guys think?


N.B. Not claiming to be an expert - maybe Sweden isn't as left-wing as I think it is, I'd be happy to be informed otherwise.

[mmonk]

1. Greece?

[elfwitch]

2. Sweden

Great place. A guy I work with is from there. He only has good things to say about it.

[denverbill]

3. Canada.

Some provinces more than others. National health care, legalized marijuana.

I don't know maybe France too. Everyone in France gets about 6 weeks paid vacation per year.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

5. I'd call Canada centrist. But the problem is

Centrist to me may be left-wing to you, each country has it's own map of what is left or right. Scotland and Wales are more left than Canada, IMO, but then I live in Canada's most right-wing province.

[mmonk]

7. agree about Canada

I'd say center/left.

[Brian Sweat]

4. It used to be Ireland without any competition. At least in Western Europe.

[Nederland]

8. Ireland used to be really left wing?

I thought that for years divorce was illegal in Ireland and abortion tightly restricted. In what way was it left wing, economic policy?

[Brian Sweat]

14. Yes. They have a very socialist government

and were considered to be extremely leftist up until the mid 80's.

[luckydevi]

15. No not really

Ireland is not a socialist country at all. In fact they are more capitalist than we are.

[Nederland]

17. I think

...the poster is referring to the way Ireland used to be, not the way it is now. Ireland loosened many of it government controls on industry and backed sharply away from the socialist model after joining the EU. As a result, they experience tremendous economic growth and a sharp increase in their standard of living.

[Paschall]

24. I'm not sure you can attribute Ireland's...

...economic growth and increased standard of living to its "backing sharply away from the socialist model."

Take a look at the HUGE amount of money the EU pumped into the country. This is one reason Irish public opinion is not too keen on expansion of the EU; it will mean a decrease in EU funding for them.

[Brian Sweat]

19. What part of "used to be" do you not understand?

I am talking about the period from when the achieved independance until about 20 years ago. Since then they have moved sharply to the right, but they are still way left of the U.S. They still have a lot of socialism and their taxes are very high (50%).

[luckydevi]

6. Poland

How about Poland

You are right about Sweden. Maybe 10/15 years ago, but not today.

Ireland-- no way

[xchrom]

9. norway?

i don't know if it's more left than sweden -- but it's pretty left.

[Rich Hunt]

10. What about New Zealand? N/T

[mmonk]

11. New Zealand's great for real estate investors

they aren't taxed as much as here. Don't know much else on their economic and government structures though.

[luckydevi]

18. On New Zealand

New Zealand is another country that is more capitalist than we are.

[AP]

12. I bet if you find the wealthiest country with least income inequality, you

have found the most left-wing democracy.

Oh, and another criteria: social mobility.

However, you'd probably miss a few countries which are trying to undo the huge income inequality they currently endure.

[DUreader]

23. A very appropriate post for your excellent sig. line, AP

[spindoctor]

13. Western Europe is drifting to the right

When I grew up there it was all Democrat-socialists and Social-democrats in the governments. Italy used to be way out there, but now they put Berlusconi in the hot spot, which is about as close to fascism as you can legally get away with.

The Scandinavian countries all have a great social structure (which is not the same as a socialist structure). They're not particularly left wing, although even the most right wing (major) party anywhere in Europe can still only be compared to an American centrist.

I don't know. Now that you made me think about it, it seems like the whole world is turning right all the time.

[luckydevi]

20. I would agree

Eastern Europe is moving towards the right. I wouldn't say that about Western Europe.

You are about the Scandinavian countries. They have taken a huge shift to the right.

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. for income equality there's the Gini index

for which the lower the number, the more equal the income distribution. At least this is an objective measurement.

Of the figures given at http://earthtrends.wri.org/text/ECN/variables/353.htm , the lowest democracy seems to be Hungary, at 24.4, with Denmark, Japan and Sweden at 25 or under.

On edit: I missed Slovakia, with an impressive 19.5.

[scisyhp]

21. Indian state of West Bengal.

Over the last 25 years West Bengal has been ruled by the Communist
Party, which has won 5 straight democratic multi-party elections
in the state. It doesn't get any more left-wing than that.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

22. Bloody Hell, didn't know that.

I consider myself educated.

[alittlelark]

25. Tell me where it is

and I'll find a way to get there

[alittlelark]

26. USA LEFT

We would be free of lobbyists. They would not exist because we have federally funded elections. These elections are overseen by the UN. We have paper ballots that are ejected from our OPEN SOURCE CODING voting machines..............


Must have been a wet dream........but Im'a girl....processing....all is well. I'm female. I can be logical without being messy................NO MORE WARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Gina