Left Liberal - Why this term makes so much sense?

One of the common terms 'Left Liberal' in today's context refers to what started in the late 18th century during the French revolution, due to the seating arrangement in Estates General (France). The people who sat on the left opposed the old regime and supported the creation of a democratic society and secularization of society (secular - separation of church from the state and the state being controlled by non-religious - read non-church - entities). 

The concept of the left evolved quite differently in different regions of the world. In the mid 1800s, german born revolutionaries Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels published the Communist Manifesto (Das Kommunistische Manifest) in London which was conveniently used by Vladimir Lenin in Soviet Russia as a propaganda tool in ousting the Russian Provisional government during the 1917 October  Bolshevik Revolution. What followed the revolution and establishment of the Bolshevik government is however anything but liberalism. Instead, a violent campaign by the state security services made way for the centralization of political and economic powers leading to devastations and famines. The infamous 'Red Terror' has become synonymous with communistic oppression in Russia and later in other parts of the world. 

In contrast to Russia, Andrew Jackson organized what is now called the Democratic Party in the USA but was strengthened greatly by Martin Van Buren in the mid-1800s. This Democratic Party has had no shades of communism for a long time until the entry of Eugene Debs in the late 1800s into the American political spectrum. Even though Debs was never a member of US Democratic party, after his demise, the democrats were successful in bringing organized labor unions into their fold. Due to this inclusion of labor unions, the Democrats are automatically identified as left of the Republicans (or Leftists). However, even until fairly recent democratic governments (one that of Bill Clinton in the 90s), the economic policies of US Democrats at best could be stated as more 'Centrist' rather than left. In contrast, from early 2000 onwards the leftism of Democrats has become more pronounced - both economically and socially. More on this to follow right after we take a detour across the pond to Europe.

In the meanwhile in Europe, Leftism was ruling for a good chunk of 20th century in East Germany (GDR), Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary etc. All these governments even though termed Left/Communist are anything but 'Liberal'. Most of them used forced oppression on their own people, and the people of these countries were quite poor and helpless, compared to the right block in Europe (i.e. West Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands etc.)

In China, on the other hand, Mao Zedong replicated Lenin's success after a prolonged struggle with Kuomintang which established the People's Republic of China in October 1949. But what came after this is a single-party non-democratic rule (that continues to date) with periodic oppression of any democratic or liberal voices in China. The economic policies, however, started out to be communistic in the mid-1900s has changed course in the late 1900s, when China become a controlled market economy which lead to the current state where more than 60% of the Chinese economy is powered by Private Enterprise and ironically still called a communist country. While a strict code of conduct is maintained by the press in China as well as their social policies, 'Liberal' is definitely not a word that would come to anyone's mind when they see leftists in China.

Swerving back to the so-called 'Left Liberals' of the United States - a new breed that has emerged in the post-millennium - have largely labeled themselves due to their so-called tolerance of LGBTQIA - we will run out of alphabets fairly soon here, open abortion policies, more importantly quite a leftist view of the economic and social policies, which by the way were never implemented in a liberal manner in other parts of the world and deemed as an utter failure in the long run. While it is quite natural for them to appropriate these terminologies it is also marked by the uncanny similarity of narrative setting and oppressive attitude towards people of opposite ideologies (refer to the huge roar and cry towards re-admitting Donald Trump into Twitter and the recent revelations of the infamous Hunter Biden laptop being silently ignored by the left media). Again the term 'Liberal' just doesn't gel with the behavior of the current 'Leftists' be it in the USA, Europe, China, North Korea, or India.

By this time, I know you are going back and reading the title like 10 times and thinking in your head - what were you thinking dude. Yes, I am aware of that and this is probably a good time to shift context to prove my point on why even after all these aberrations, the term 'Left Liberal' makes so much sense. In Hindu spirituality, the most important symbol of the para-brahmam (the supreme being) is Lord Narayana who has Goddess Lakshmi in his heart. And the heart, being always in the left side of the chest, Goddess Lakshmi is the iconic representation of a 'Leftist' and of course not just a 'Leftist', she is also the 'Liberal' who blesses her devotees and having a very broad and magnanimous attitude - refer to the Ramayana when Sita forgives and blesses the crow who harmed her in the first place. She, not only blesses her devotees with material-fortune but also opens them to the path of self-realization according to the Sri Suktham. She is the classic 'Left Liberal' not just because of her 'Liberal' giving alone, but also the 'Liberation' she offers her bhakthas from worldly bondage. 

Once you are introduced to this proper meaning of 'Left Liberal', I have more reasons to add to why this terminology makes so much sense. When the great Lord Shiva offered half of himself to Goddess Parvati, it is the Left half that became the female self - refer Lord Ardhanarisvara. According to the Lalitha Saharanamam, she is the Goddess 'Srimatha' - who gives immeasurable wealth and removes all sorrows, 'Kamakshi' - who fulfills our desires just by her sight. So it is really the consorts of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva - who are Goddesses Lakshmi and Goddess Uma, the real 'Left Liberals' for whom the term makes so much sense and for all the 'Leftists' of today, if they really want to understand the concept of 'Left Liberalism' they have to read and understand the Sri Suktham and perhaps the Lalitha Sahasranamam.