Woman Sheds Light On How Different The Political “Left” Is Between Germany And The US, Goes Viral With 384K Likes
Politics is one of the most controversial topics, regardless of which country you’re in. You can be part of the most peaceful society, but as long as there are two parties to vote for, clashes are unavoidable. And on some degree, that’s fine—people have right to stand for what they believe in, and opposing views can push societies forward and prevent stagnation. Unfortunately, this can also take a deep dive off a proverbial cliff, especially when those same parties start leaning too far one way or another, which ends with political views becoming a point of deep divide. And worse yet, when those leanings are taken so far out of proportion they become insults.
More info: TikTok
American political terms are not unique and seem misused in a global context
Image credits: frauloewenherz
Image credits: frauloewenherz
Whether it’ll surprise you or not, liberals, conservatives, and a whole plethora of similar terms are not native to the American political sphere. Other countries have them as well, but unlike in the US, those terms have different connotations and weight behind them. TikTok user frauloewenherz made a video highlighting the differences between American and German political leanings. “I think not a lot of Americans are aware of this,” said the user. “Did you know that it means an entirely different thing to say you’re on the political left when you’re in the US versus when you’re in Germany?”
Germany and the US have fundamentally different understandings when it comes to politics
Image credits: frauloewenherz
Image credits: frauloewenherz
Every country is different, so it’s understandable that the views are influenced by the local society. However, the user pointed out that some of America’s claims, such as what leftists are, are just fundamentally different from how Germany views those same terms. The user explained, “In the US, you’re on the political left when you want things like universal healthcare and free education. In Germany, these things are such a given that not even our right-wing party would dare to dispute them. Our leftist party positioned itself as the party of the working class, advocating for things like higher retirement funding and restricting the power of landlords.”
In Germany, Joe Biden would be considered a conservative, and Bernie Sanders—a social democrat
Image credits: frauloewenherz
Image credits: frauloewenherz
“If Joe Biden was making politics in Germany, he would be in the Christian Democratic Union. That is our conservative party.” Generally, one’s ideals and goals will determine their political leanings. In the US, President Joe Biden is a Democrat with moderate-left leanings and is viewed as the complete opposite of the Republicans, many of which support conservative politics. In Germany, Joe Biden’s politics would place him on basically the other side of the barricade. “And people say AOC or Bernie Sanders would probably be in the Social-Democratic Party of Germany. That is not our most leftist party,” said frauloewenherz.
The intention of the video was to underline the differences between German and American politics
Image credits: frauloewenherz
Image credits: frauloewenherz
The video wasn’t made to divide or ridicule. As the user herself stated, “I don’t mean to sh*t on anyone, I just want to give you some perspective.” The intention was to show that the political views in America are not universal, since the terms they use are applicable all over the world, but with different meanings attached to them. And as a bonus: “Germans are having a pretty good laugh when Donald Trump is calling Joe Biden a radical leftist.”
Naturally, people wanted to share their own insights on the topic
92Kviews
Share on FacebookAnd not let me started on how people in the USA have no idea what communism is. Both right and left wing.
Most of my fellow Americans believe that China is a communist country. It isn't, of course. There has never been a communist government in human history; the philosophy of communism specifically repudiates the right of the State to even exist. China is a dictatorship by committee, that is to say, much like the mafia, it's run by a small group of old, incredibly wealthy men.
Load More Replies...Carrying perspective to the US is like carrying a boat to a mountain tribe. You can put a lot of effort in it, but you know they won't use it.
Don’t get me started on how almost everybody I come across in the US thinks Socialism and Communism is the same thing. They are not the same thing.
Born and raised in US. Never thought of them as the same. Haev told people 1. the difference and 2. how far we are from either and 3. how right-wing even the "left" is in the US compared to other nations. Only friends from other countries sympathize. Even my hubby thinks he's quite "left", and I kinda want cry....
Load More Replies...Yeah a lot of us know, but our "left wing" politicians have to be pretty right wing in order to appeal to enough people. Especially with Biden, since he had to win voters who had previously been trump supporters, he has to be relatively conservative to have a good chance. It's not amazing, but at this point we'll take anything we can get...I'm just glad that I see people who voted for Biden saying this and thinking about it vs blindly idolizing him no matter what he does...
COnsidering Mitch McConnell says election reform is a power grab ----- pot, meet kettle much"? ----- I view the US "right" politics with contempt and dread. But I don't vote as a Dem. I'm too left for that.
Load More Replies...True. If you think Merkel is "left" Merz might be your "middle"... I am afraid who will come after her, I do not like Söder but Laschet is a "Fähnchen im Winde" and Merz is Mr. Burns reincarnated.
Load More Replies...Canada has 3 major parties. Right, middle and left. Biden would fit in well with the "right", maybe would be able to pull off being in the middle, but he would be laughed out of the "left". Bernie would be a typical member of the "left", not even vaguely radical.
I wish we had more viable political parties in the US. Unfortunately, we don't have things like proportional representation, instant runoff, ranked choice voting, etc. at the state or federal level. So it leans towards a two party system.
Load More Replies...Yeah like in Australia, even our right wing is pro healthcare and pro gun control. It’s so different to America in those ways.
Pro healthcare and Pro gun control. It's almost as if they don't want everyone to die.
Load More Replies...And did you know, that being "right wing" in Germany is basically being a Nazi?
Ja, Meine Freundin ... crap, I don't have much German, I apologize. My friends in Germany agree.
Load More Replies...Want more insight? In S. Korea, "left" and "right" have yet other meanings. In the past, leftist were anti-dictatorship, and in 1980s they brought democracy, and that's good. Nowadays, it's as if they want to be the new dictators. The right? It's just capitalism. Not saying good or bad, just what it is.
.. and Trump would definately be a member of our party for the brainless, AFD
For those who don't know: thats basically the new generation of Nazis in Germany
Load More Replies...The dems literally went to make it a state because DC is super left and they want more seats in the senate. And, no, the republicans would not do this.
Load More Replies...All of the past Republican presidents before Trump are now considered wayyy to left-leaning and liberal for the Republican party to tolerate. That is messed up.
Reagan would be a socialist by these standards. that terrifies me.
Load More Replies...Please don’t generalize and decide that ‘American’ means ‘Republican’ or ‘Conservative’. Most of us know that our country is way behind, but almost half the population either doesn’t know or doesn’t care and that’s why we’re in this state.
I recently came across an American person who thought that antifa and anti-fascist are two different things. They don't know much about politics anyway.
... fiele mir nicht im Traum ein, in die USA zu ziehen. Es ist nicht perfekt hier, aber wenn ich bewußtlos und ohne jegliche Dokumente in einer Notaufnahme ankomme, reparieren die mich erstmal trotzdem, ohne zu wissen, ob und wer dafür aufkommen wird. Ich muß keine ausreichend belastbare Kreditkarte vorweisen, um behandlungswürdig zu sein, einzig medizinische Kriterien werden angewendet.
I think its time for you guys to get yourselves a viable third party.
Parties like the CDU are disputing healthcare and free education often under the heading of personal responsibility but the people aren't buying it.
what about voting "green": gender equality, feminism, lgbtq+, ecology, peace, democracy? in germany, i am voting "green" since 20 years, and my friends are mostly voting green (in larger cities, on the countryside, too). is that popular in usa, as well?
Yes, many Americans do understand this, enjoy learning about programs in other nations, and are working hard to change things in their country. Membership for DSA and similar groups grows every day. Readership for Jacobin, Dissent, and other leftist magazines is constantly expanding. Sadly the fight must start with things, like healthcare, that are considered a given elsewhere. Far left and left-leaning Americans are simply prioritizing.
The problem we in Germany have is that the "middle" leans to the left. We have 3 leftist parties (SPD, "the Green" an "the Lefts"), 1 in the middle(-ish) and 1 to the right (that caught a lot of flak from the beginning). Left radicalism is a major factor nowadays, they threaten politicians and their families to even alternate elections (Thuringia 2020)
I don’t see how we have a huge issue with left radicalism in Germany, considering that one of our CDU politicians was assassinated recently by a right-wing extremist, as well as several attacks on synagogues and a bar. I think cars burning at G20 is on a very different level than what right wing parties brought us incl. die Stürmung des Bundestages.
Load More Replies...Same I love her pop socket as well!
Load More Replies...If the USA is so bad, how come so many people want to live here? How come they are crossing our boarders and NOT YOUR!?
It's not only in Germany btw. Biden is rightwing indeed. Us never had any leftist president.
why am I and Loki getting downvoted for saying we like her pop socket.
Load More Replies...Two different countries with two different political stances? Shocking! (please note huge sarcasm here).
If you look on graphs which countries have the best education, you will find countries with free education on top.
Load More Replies...Lmao. What's your second name? Karen?
Load More Replies...You should have gotten help from a psychologist with your anger issues a long time ago.
Load More Replies...OMG that is SO hilarious! So much so, that I pity you.
Load More Replies...I suppose Russia and Great Britain do not count. Neither does France apparently.
Load More Replies...And not let me started on how people in the USA have no idea what communism is. Both right and left wing.
Most of my fellow Americans believe that China is a communist country. It isn't, of course. There has never been a communist government in human history; the philosophy of communism specifically repudiates the right of the State to even exist. China is a dictatorship by committee, that is to say, much like the mafia, it's run by a small group of old, incredibly wealthy men.
Load More Replies...Carrying perspective to the US is like carrying a boat to a mountain tribe. You can put a lot of effort in it, but you know they won't use it.
Don’t get me started on how almost everybody I come across in the US thinks Socialism and Communism is the same thing. They are not the same thing.
Born and raised in US. Never thought of them as the same. Haev told people 1. the difference and 2. how far we are from either and 3. how right-wing even the "left" is in the US compared to other nations. Only friends from other countries sympathize. Even my hubby thinks he's quite "left", and I kinda want cry....
Load More Replies...Yeah a lot of us know, but our "left wing" politicians have to be pretty right wing in order to appeal to enough people. Especially with Biden, since he had to win voters who had previously been trump supporters, he has to be relatively conservative to have a good chance. It's not amazing, but at this point we'll take anything we can get...I'm just glad that I see people who voted for Biden saying this and thinking about it vs blindly idolizing him no matter what he does...
COnsidering Mitch McConnell says election reform is a power grab ----- pot, meet kettle much"? ----- I view the US "right" politics with contempt and dread. But I don't vote as a Dem. I'm too left for that.
Load More Replies...True. If you think Merkel is "left" Merz might be your "middle"... I am afraid who will come after her, I do not like Söder but Laschet is a "Fähnchen im Winde" and Merz is Mr. Burns reincarnated.
Load More Replies...Canada has 3 major parties. Right, middle and left. Biden would fit in well with the "right", maybe would be able to pull off being in the middle, but he would be laughed out of the "left". Bernie would be a typical member of the "left", not even vaguely radical.
I wish we had more viable political parties in the US. Unfortunately, we don't have things like proportional representation, instant runoff, ranked choice voting, etc. at the state or federal level. So it leans towards a two party system.
Load More Replies...Yeah like in Australia, even our right wing is pro healthcare and pro gun control. It’s so different to America in those ways.
Pro healthcare and Pro gun control. It's almost as if they don't want everyone to die.
Load More Replies...And did you know, that being "right wing" in Germany is basically being a Nazi?
Ja, Meine Freundin ... crap, I don't have much German, I apologize. My friends in Germany agree.
Load More Replies...Want more insight? In S. Korea, "left" and "right" have yet other meanings. In the past, leftist were anti-dictatorship, and in 1980s they brought democracy, and that's good. Nowadays, it's as if they want to be the new dictators. The right? It's just capitalism. Not saying good or bad, just what it is.
.. and Trump would definately be a member of our party for the brainless, AFD
For those who don't know: thats basically the new generation of Nazis in Germany
Load More Replies...The dems literally went to make it a state because DC is super left and they want more seats in the senate. And, no, the republicans would not do this.
Load More Replies...All of the past Republican presidents before Trump are now considered wayyy to left-leaning and liberal for the Republican party to tolerate. That is messed up.
Reagan would be a socialist by these standards. that terrifies me.
Load More Replies...Please don’t generalize and decide that ‘American’ means ‘Republican’ or ‘Conservative’. Most of us know that our country is way behind, but almost half the population either doesn’t know or doesn’t care and that’s why we’re in this state.
I recently came across an American person who thought that antifa and anti-fascist are two different things. They don't know much about politics anyway.
... fiele mir nicht im Traum ein, in die USA zu ziehen. Es ist nicht perfekt hier, aber wenn ich bewußtlos und ohne jegliche Dokumente in einer Notaufnahme ankomme, reparieren die mich erstmal trotzdem, ohne zu wissen, ob und wer dafür aufkommen wird. Ich muß keine ausreichend belastbare Kreditkarte vorweisen, um behandlungswürdig zu sein, einzig medizinische Kriterien werden angewendet.
I think its time for you guys to get yourselves a viable third party.
Parties like the CDU are disputing healthcare and free education often under the heading of personal responsibility but the people aren't buying it.
what about voting "green": gender equality, feminism, lgbtq+, ecology, peace, democracy? in germany, i am voting "green" since 20 years, and my friends are mostly voting green (in larger cities, on the countryside, too). is that popular in usa, as well?
Yes, many Americans do understand this, enjoy learning about programs in other nations, and are working hard to change things in their country. Membership for DSA and similar groups grows every day. Readership for Jacobin, Dissent, and other leftist magazines is constantly expanding. Sadly the fight must start with things, like healthcare, that are considered a given elsewhere. Far left and left-leaning Americans are simply prioritizing.
The problem we in Germany have is that the "middle" leans to the left. We have 3 leftist parties (SPD, "the Green" an "the Lefts"), 1 in the middle(-ish) and 1 to the right (that caught a lot of flak from the beginning). Left radicalism is a major factor nowadays, they threaten politicians and their families to even alternate elections (Thuringia 2020)
I don’t see how we have a huge issue with left radicalism in Germany, considering that one of our CDU politicians was assassinated recently by a right-wing extremist, as well as several attacks on synagogues and a bar. I think cars burning at G20 is on a very different level than what right wing parties brought us incl. die Stürmung des Bundestages.
Load More Replies...Same I love her pop socket as well!
Load More Replies...If the USA is so bad, how come so many people want to live here? How come they are crossing our boarders and NOT YOUR!?
It's not only in Germany btw. Biden is rightwing indeed. Us never had any leftist president.
why am I and Loki getting downvoted for saying we like her pop socket.
Load More Replies...Two different countries with two different political stances? Shocking! (please note huge sarcasm here).
If you look on graphs which countries have the best education, you will find countries with free education on top.
Load More Replies...Lmao. What's your second name? Karen?
Load More Replies...You should have gotten help from a psychologist with your anger issues a long time ago.
Load More Replies...OMG that is SO hilarious! So much so, that I pity you.
Load More Replies...I suppose Russia and Great Britain do not count. Neither does France apparently.
Load More Replies...
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