Has the left hit rock bottom in terms of international political power?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Ah, pan-national trends, always a fun way for everybody to get pseudoscientific, yo.

There's a pretty clear trend of populism rising throughout the west that's being fueled by both macroeconomic and cultural trends. Though this populism definitely isn't exclusive to the left or right as OP is suggesting.

I think the idea of "populism" is increasingly becoming stretched to a point of outright absurdity. By definition, if you're winning an actual election you're going to have some populist appeal. Nobody has ever won an election without it, and anybody that claims to never use any populist ideas (and still has above ten percent of the vote) is a fat liar. If the definition is merely insurgent parties and odd individuals surging, well that's a bit better but it's still a bit wonky if you actually start breaking the list down again (to the point you could probably make a decent case for THE POPULIST EXPLOSION in various other points in postwar history, and you could quibble that about half the options are seeing their insurgents are waning somewhat).

[Kingpoleon]

Sweden, Italy, Canada, Austria, Portugal, and Indonesia. New Zealand and Australia may change, as might Germany. I should also point out that calling Putin left wing or right wing is insane.

The ex-KGB agent is obviously center-left. He's allied with Assad, Kim, Xi, all the major left-wing powers, as well as the main anti-American powers like Iran, and the non-aligned powers like India. His main opponents are the right-wing Navalny at home and right-wing Ukrainian nationalists. The only exception is his support for the European and American far-right, but that's just an alliance of convenience to weaken the West. There's a reason why jfern loves him so much.

Putin is broadly nonideological. The only sure thing is that he is a nationalist/militarist intent on extending his nation's influence and power. Personally, I would prefer the Russo-Indian duo to their counterparts in the increasing Sino-Pakistani friendship. I think that's where WWIII is most likely to break out. Iran's two closest allies are Pakistan and Russia. It has cold relations with India and China. I can't see them taking sides. For that reason, I can't really see the war expanding to include Iran, Syria, Turkey, Belarus, the Caucasus, the Balkans, or the two's increasing sphere in Africa and, to a lesser extent, South America.

[Beet]

Sweden, Italy, Canada, Austria, Portugal, and Indonesia. New Zealand and Australia may change, as might Germany. I should also point out that calling Putin left wing or right wing is insane.

The ex-KGB agent is obviously center-left. He's allied with Assad, Kim, Xi, all the major left-wing powers, as well as the main anti-American powers like Iran, and the non-aligned powers like India. His main opponents are the right-wing Navalny at home and right-wing Ukrainian nationalists. The only exception is his support for the European and American far-right, but that's just an alliance of convenience to weaken the West. There's a reason why jfern loves him so much.

Putin is broadly nonideological. The only sure thing is that he is a nationalist/militarist intent on extending his nation's influence and power. Personally, I would prefer the Russo-Indian duo to their counterparts in the increasing Sino-Pakistani friendship. I think that's where WWIII is most likely to break out. Iran's two closest allies are Pakistan and Russia. It has cold relations with India and China. I can't see them taking sides. For that reason, I can't really see the war expanding to include Iran, Syria, Turkey, Belarus, the Caucasus, the Balkans, or the two's increasing sphere in Africa and, to a lesser extent, South America.

Of course he's a nationalist; so is everyone (except maybe Trump). That doesn't mean he isn't ideological. Russia has good relations with China and increasingly good relations with Pakistan. For that reason I can't see them intervening in a Indo-Chinese conflict. When WW3 breaks out, the US will either be an instigator or a major player, I fear. I'm not at all confident the current skepticism of militarism in this country will last.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

Sweden, Italy, Canada, Austria, Portugal, and Indonesia. New Zealand and Australia may change, as might Germany. I should also point out that calling Putin left wing or right wing is insane.

The ex-KGB agent is obviously center-left. He's allied with Assad, Kim, Xi, all the major left-wing powers...

How are Kim and Xi left-wing? I mean, China still has the veneer of Communism that even North Korea replaced with juche, but really, both countries are as right wing as you can get:

- North Korea is an ethno-nationalist xenophobic state that operates on a "military-first" policy. Doesn't sound very left wing to me.
- China is a capitalist society with heavy state involvement (just because it has "state" in it doesn't mean it's left wing) and has a nation-wide nationalistic mindset that can be (grossly oversimplified to) "Make China Great Again." Its heavy state control on the freedom of information also generally goes against left-wing ideals, and then there is rampant discrimination (structural and otherwise) against native and foreign minorities.

[Kingpoleon]

... China's government is undoubtedly left-wing, but Russia is not growing closer to China.

[Beet]

Sweden, Italy, Canada, Austria, Portugal, and Indonesia. New Zealand and Australia may change, as might Germany. I should also point out that calling Putin left wing or right wing is insane.

The ex-KGB agent is obviously center-left. He's allied with Assad, Kim, Xi, all the major left-wing powers...

How are Kim and Xi left-wing? I mean, China still has the veneer of Communism that even North Korea replaced with juche, but really, both countries are as right wing as you can get:

- North Korea is an ethno-nationalist xenophobic state that operates on a "military-first" policy. Doesn't sound very left wing to me.
- China is a capitalist society with heavy state involvement (just because it has "state" in it doesn't mean it's left wing) and has a nation-wide nationalistic mindset that can be (grossly oversimplified to) "Make China Great Again." Its heavy state control on the freedom of information also generally goes against left-wing ideals, and then there is rampant discrimination (structural and otherwise) against native and foreign minorities.

Left-wing ideals =/= ideals I agree with. The most left-wing states in history have always restricted information and been very militaristic. Of course China is still communist at some level - most Westerners don't realize you still cannot own private land there, for example- it is "leased" for 70 years. Also, it has gotten more left-wing in the past 10 years.

Also, North Korea has gotten a reputation for being especially ethno-nationalist/xenophobic after a book written by B.R. Myers, but what they don't tell you is that most academics consider the book slanted and speculative. It's in the vein of other popular books that distort expert opinion but are still popular. The reality is North Korea is a faaaaar left state.

[vanguard96]

Left-wing ideals =/= ideals I agree with. The most left-wing states in history have always restricted information and been very militaristic. Of course China is still communist at some level - most Westerners don't realize you still cannot own private land there, for example- it is "leased" for 70 years. Also, it has gotten more left-wing in the past 10 years.

Also, North Korea has gotten a reputation for being especially ethno-nationalist/xenophobic after a book written by B.R. Myers, but what they don't tell you is that most academics consider the book slanted and speculative. It's in the vein of other popular books that distort expert opinion but are still popular. The reality is North Korea is a faaaaar left state.

Regarding China, many free market advocates (whatever their actual political affiliation) are worried about the trends in Hong Kong and the gradual decline of the one-state, two-systems as more and more Hong Kong residents want protections and massive state welfare and the unique nature of Hong Kong declines as the markets turn to mainland China and its increasing prosperity.

Will a small city-state with no real natural advantages aside from a decent harbor be a magnet for global growth if there are a slew of restrictions placed on enterprise as the state grows there? I already see that from my circle of former colleagues who are from Hong Kong that almost universally they are branching out to be able to be more multinational through employment possibilities outside of Hong Kong and the general Greater China sphere - PR China, Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong itself such as in Europe, Canada, NZL/Australia, and Japan through pursuing education, overseas employment, and dual national status.

[mileslunn]

Depends how you define the left.  If you mean social democratic parties they do seem to be in opposition in most places although in both the UK and Australia they only narrowly missed winning while in the US it is quite possible the Democrats would have won with Sanders.  If you mean more liberal left, no I would not say they have bottomed out.  Most governments in mainland Europe are pretty close to the centre and the same could be said here in Canada to some degree.  Nonetheless Sweden, Austria (not for much longer likely), Portugal, Italy, Malta, and Greece all have social democratic ones while in Netherlands (for now), Germany (also for now), and Luxembourg they are junior partners.  In Norway Labour has the edge although not certain they will win next month while Denmark and Finland things look favourable at the moment but only a small lead.  In Spain more voted left than right just the left is split between centre-left PSOE and further left Podemos who combined got more votes than the Popular Party.

Ironically in Canada, this is probably the best the left has seen in years and possibly they are at their high not low point.  We have Justin Trudeau who is a progressive centre-left federally.  Ontario, Alberta, and BC all have centre-left progressive governments while Atlantic Canada has centrist ones.  Only Saskatchewan and Manitoba and perhaps Quebec have centre-right ones provincially.  Now granted in both Ontario and Alberta the right is leading in the polls, but lets remember they were much of the time before the last election so its not a foregone conclusion they will win while in BC much like Australia and UK it was super close just tipped slightly the other way.