Developed countries more left wing than Canada and more right wing than US

[mileslunn]

I know this is somewhat an arbitrary list, but of all Western European countries, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, which would you list as left of Canada and right of US?  I know kind of hard to do as depends on topic but just in general.

For right of US, lots in Eastern Europe but in Western Europe probably none, but I think Israel today is although only very recently.  Singapore probably is too while Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea I would say are culturally to right of US but economically to left but still to right of most of Europe.

For Canada, on social issues Nordics and Benelux only ones that come close but even those probably to right as maybe as or more LGBT friendly than Canada, but definitely much less supportive of immigration.  On economic it is a mix, but France I would place to left although right on cultural.  Nordics, Germany, and Netherlands have larger safety nets than Canada, but tend to be more pro business.

So if I had to rank them, I would only put Israel & Singapore as more conservative than US, while I would place Canada to left of all mentioned.  Historically not the case, but is now due to shift in left from working class focus to more bourgeoisie progressive and Canada has loads of those.  US does too but countered by far more opposition in middle and southern parts which Canada lacks.

[Tintrlvr]

Do we mean "left" and "right" (i.e., economics) or "liberal" and "conservative" (i.e., social issues)? Because the answers here are a little bit muddied. Canada is very liberal among developed countries, possibly the most so, but not especially left-wing. And then are we talking the views of the public or how those are expressed in politics? For example, Japan is quite liberal on many issues if you ask individual people (irreligion plays a big role here), but its politics are among the most conservative.

[mileslunn]

Do we mean "left" and "right" (i.e., economics) or "liberal" and "conservative" (i.e., social issues)? Because the answers here are a little bit muddied. Canada is very liberal among developed countries, possibly the most so, but not especially left-wing. And then are we talking the views of the public or how those are expressed in politics? For example, Japan is quite liberal on many issues if you ask individual people (irreligion plays a big role here), but its politics are among the most conservative.

True on economic and social axis a bit harder.  On economic Canada is probably not most left wing at least not in terms of policy, but in terms of what people want probably right up there just not done as what most want is quite unrealistic.  Essentially most want more social programs paid for by those with more money than they have, not themselves and I suspect that view not totally unique to Canada but seems in recent years somewhat more prevalent than elsewhere.  On Nationalization, polling is scant there so hard to know and no party proposing mass nationalizations, although most privatizations generally not popular but not sure that is unique to Canada.

[Samof94]

Israel is easily much more right wing than the United States except that it has UHC, a sane abortion policy, and a couple of other things.

[mileslunn]

Israel is easily much more right wing than the United States except that it has UHC, a sane abortion policy, and a couple of other things.

Agreed but also probably in big part due to security threats as pretty sure any country would be quite conservative if faced security threats they do.  Ironically enough Israel used to be fairly left wing, but big reason is reform Jews have much lower birth rate than Orthodox as well as with chance at peace over a quarter century ago, most younger Israelis have only known hostile Arab neighbors and idea of a two state solution seems unrealistic while older Israelis remember when it was.  I would say though senior Israelis more liberal than senior Americans, but younger Israelis are quite right wing.  It is opposite of US on age with young being most right wing, older most liberal.

I know putting Canada as most left wing is controversial, but I think there are signs nowadays it is.  The old axiom of left being pro-union, pro-nationalization working class, Canada definitely is not most left wing.  But the newer paradigm of being woke, socially progressive I would say Canada is most.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

All of them are to the right of Canada and the US, although this might change slightly (in particular with regards to East Asia and Oceania) if you use an America-centric map.