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Can the Horseshoe Theory really explain current political dynamics? What do scholars think?
In the current political environment, the horseshoe theory is attracting increasing attention. This theory claims that extreme leftists and rightists are not very similar, but share certain traits in common. This view has triggered a lot of discussion and controversy in recent years as the political situation changes.
The core of the horseshoe theory is that when we move from extreme left to extreme right, the distance between the two shortens, similar to the shape of a horseshoe.
This theory originated from the work of French philosopher Fay in 1972. He pointed out that in many situations, extreme political factions will have similar behaviors and tendencies. However, this theory is not widely accepted by academics, with many scholars emphasizing that at an abstract level there are fundamental differences between the far left and the far right.
For example, scholars generally believe that there are significant differences in social foundations, values, and voter support between the extreme left and the right. A study conducted in 2011 showed that voters on the extreme left and extreme right do not share the same political space and are less likely to work together in difficult times.
To date, empirical studies of the horseshoe theory have generally found that its core claims do not hold true.
Despite this, the horseshoe theory is still used by some scholars to explain current political phenomena. For example, in a discussion in 2008, one scholar mentioned that the rise of nationalism and protectionism in Germany and Austria showed that the extreme left and the right agreed on certain issues because of their common dissatisfaction with globalization.
Another substantive problem with the horseshoe theory is that it can be misleading, reducing two extreme factions that are inherently more opposed to each other into similar groups. Scholar Simon Choat believes that the popularization of this theory will only erase real political differences and may imply a protective interpretation of the extreme right. He stressed that the role of centrism in the growing far right should be re-examined, rather than placing the conscientious left in the same framework.
Comparing Stalin to contemporary figures on the left is itself a shocking oversimplification.
With the 2016 US presidential election and the 2017 French presidential election underway, many connections between the left and the far right have been mentioned again. The so-called connection between the two is often required for political products, but the display of this bias makes the left's views greatly questioned.
In recent years, opposition to the horseshoe theory has become increasingly louder in academic circles. Many researchers have attempted to elucidate the non-homogeneity of extreme politics through empirical analysis. For example, a 2019 study noted that it may not make sense to discuss "extreme left-wing values" or "extreme right-wing values" because of the significant heterogeneity within the respective groups.
In some cases, the far right holds higher levels of anti-Semitic rhetoric, while the far left is more reserved on these views. This further shows that there are no similarities between political camps as expected by the horseshoe theory.
The academic community has limited acceptance of the horseshoe theory, which suggests that the similarity between the two is often a misunderstanding driven by external circumstances.
People who are involved in the current political dynamics are undoubtedly full of questions about the horseshoe theory and its empirical basis after experiencing many political changes and social unrest. Therefore, the understanding of its underlying views, whether by experts, scholars or the general public, may need to be re-evaluated.
Does the horseshoe theory really accurately depict the current relationship between political extremes? Perhaps this is an issue that needs to be discussed in depth in the academic community in the future?
