In politics, the left refers to those who prioritize social equality as a political end, in opposition to the right wing, which view egalitarianism as a threat to civil liberties, and traditional values.
The term is most often associated with social democracy and social liberalism (but not classical liberalism), and (especially in Western Europe) with the welfare state and democratic socialism. In Eastern Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa the term is frequently associated with Marxist-Leninism and/or Maoism, and issues such as Anti-Colonialism and land redistribution.
In general, the left advocates a secular, multicultural society, with a prominent role for the State. It is also linked with some forms of Popularism and Communitarianism, Syndicalism and Trade Unionism, and Anarchism and Left-Libertarianism. The term is also sometimes applied to those who campaign on behalf of Sexual Equality, Anti-Racism, Gay Rights and Green issues.
