On the Left Side of the Spectrum

The other day, I saw someone on Instagram say that Liberals have never been on the left. Specifically, this account argued that the political spectrum is determined by how a person or organization views Capitalism. This is a disappointing conclusion, as initially being a radical leftist meant believe in universal male suffrage without a King. But this opinion, opens the discussion into how the Left organizes, although not in the way of political/economic theory, but in who we include.

I am not well read enough in leftist theory to break down a play-by-play of the American Left, going across the spectrum describing the intricacies of socialism, communism, anarchism, and everything in-between. But I can generally split everyone into three camps, by the amount of change they wish to see in Capitalism, at least in the US, since I know Europe has a much more diverse Left side than we have in the United States. Again, this is on the topic of economic, not social theory. Most of the left believes in the LGBTQ+ rights and abortion and those issues. I am specifically looking at the relationship to capitalism, as that is the disunity I am seeing online, with people are using the popular “I am Drew, I am Danny, and we are not the same person” to continually discuss that they are not liberals, but leftists.

In the middle of the Left-Right spectrum, where most of the major true Democrats sit, such as Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, which is some restrictions on corporations, but otherwise allowing the system to run. These have been the unfortunately weak politicians. This is the side that won in 2020 and then failed to protect or change anything. There was no major challenges and there was not drive to do things like raise the national minimum wage or protect LGBTQ+ rights.

On the Far Left, we get the socialist and communists and others of that sort; the Anti-Capitalists. While I am not here, I do understand their main assumptions; that is that Pure Capitalism sucks and causes the suffering of the working class (or nations). This side of the Left has never really gained national power in the US. This is the generally side that won in Russia in October 1917 and has splintered since it was created in the 1700s, if you believe modern Anti-Capitalism derives itself from the Utopian Socialists, or the 1830s if you believe this end of the spectrum comes from the more scientific socialism of Marx, Engels, Proudhon, and Bakunin.

Then there is the middle left, which is where I identify. My relationship with Capitalism is complicated. I’ve read Marx, at least The Communist Manifesto and I am a raved fan of history. My thoughts on the Manifesto, and generally with Marx historical determinism, is that Marx incredibly accurately has predicted the outcome of Capitalism if it is not regulated well enough. How could you not? Marx predicted that the owners would slowly make the wages earned so low that people could not afford to pay for basic needs and would, due to the definition of Initial Capitalism of pure competition, completely eliminate the Middle Class. That is absolutely where we are heading. A majority of Americans do not earn enough to afford basic necessities of life, according the recent analysis (Cerullo 2025). Minimum wage has not increased at the Federal level since 2009 (Hernandez, 2024).

Based on what I have just said, it may sound like I am not a middle left person, but instead a full socialist or farther. However, I disagree with the first thought of those people, which is that capitalism must be replaced by something else. In my opinion, Capitalism, when in competition, pre-monopolization, incentivizes lower prices and better products, which anti-capitalistic systems lose. Of course, capitalism and competition result in someone losing, leading to less competition, which results in bad and expensive products.

This brings us to the simple definitions of the difference in the three types of the American “Left.” The Democratic Middle (The farthest right group), believes the government should be as uninvolved as possible, while still protecting the worst off: Healthcare for the poor and old, some basic workplace protection. The Far Left wants the government, or, for the commune-anarchists, a overthrown societal replacement, to redistribute everything as “according to one’s needs.”

So where do I and the others in the middle left think? The government has two roles. First, they are to restrict corporations. They should do something to make sure that there are fair workplace and hiring practices, that there isn’t collusion or price-gouging, AND PROTECT SMALL BUSINESS TO ALLOW AND PROTECT COMPETITION. Second, the government must protect and help the working class by comfortable, not just survive. Universal Healthcare, strong welfare, direct support of the people. The government must be the way you remove the bad part of capitalism, the late-stage outcomes, while protecting the good parts, the pure competition resulting in low prices and great and customizable products.

That is my beliefs. And also what the rest of the world sees as the basic moderate left. America’s left is farther right than any other Western Nation.

Cerullo, Megan. “Most Americans Don’t Earn Enough to Afford Basic Costs of Living, Analysis Finds — CBS News.” CBS News, 16 May 2025,

Hernandez, Joe. “It Has Now Been 15 Years since the Federal Minimum Wage Rose to $7.25.” NPR, 24 July 2024. NPR,