Horseshoe Theory

[Associate Justice PiT]

In 20th century practice it certainly looked that way at times, no?  Ultimately though, true far leftism, IMO anyway, resembles a very extreme Netherlands... Whereas the far right looks like a more (effectively) restrictive Saudi Arabia. 

These places would not be similar.

     But what use is a conception of the far left that doesn't exist in the world and will likely never come to any real fruition? It makes more sense to me to disavow the existence of a far left if that's how it will be.

[Person Man]

In 20th century practice it certainly looked that way at times, no?  Ultimately though, true far leftism, IMO anyway, resembles a very extreme Netherlands... Whereas the far right looks like a more (effectively) restrictive Saudi Arabia. 

These places would not be similar.

     But what use is a conception of the far left that doesn't exist in the world and will likely never come to any real fruition? It makes more sense to me to disavow the existence of a far left if that's how it will be.

Though Saudi Arabia is definitely the extreme right wing. Denmark could be the opposite and though there are conservative policies in Denmark, there are some liberal ones in Saudi Arabia.

[freefair]

Real existing planned economies have been more similar to real existing fascist states than to European social democracies, yes.

[traininthedistance]

I've always thought of horseshoe theory as Moderate Hero propaganda rather than libertarian propaganda; at least that was the context in which I first heard it.  Certainly one can make the case, and I would agree with said case, that hardcore libertarianism would devolve into the same sort of oppression that one sees in dictatorial Marxist and fascist societies.

Anyway, I want to think it's bunkum, and I'm well aware that it elides a whole lot of very important differences between the extreme left and the extreme right, but then I see some of our resident leftists post things such as:

mint

and

yes, absolutely, I'd love to see such a self-confident left faction with this type of power and determination to use it.  such is why I have a hard time condemning the actions of the Cruzists from a purely bourgeois-moralistic ("you're holding the country hostage!") POV.

...and, well, it becomes harder for me to dismiss it out of hand.

(ETA: Also, cogendism.  How could I forget?)

[Leftbehind]

Horsesh*t Theory, more like.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I've always thought of horseshoe theory as Moderate Hero propaganda rather than libertarian propaganda; at least that was the context in which I first heard it.

It's more like Cold War propaganda. Hannah Arendt came up with a particularly clever version.