Political Labeling

It is important to make a distinction between labeling and classification. Almost every knowledge based system makes uses of a classification paradigm to discern overall trends of thoughts and philosophies. This is useful in politics as it allows us to better understand the movements that drive history (politics is essentially history in the present). I agree that applying right/left labeling to such specific issues as abortion/stem cells/death penalty is silly but the use of such terms as Leftism and Rightism to describe political attitudes with respect to such broader themes as free markets, group/individual rights, private property ownership is not.