Does authoritarianism contradict left-winged politics?

Article by Ava Shahyar-Cooksley 9b (05.03.2026)

Leftism is the range of political ideologies that aim to achieve social equality and egalitarianism. Authoritarianism, on the other hand, is a political system that rejects political plurality, democracy, and civil liberties.

Although leftist politics are meant to be inherently egalitarian, leftism is a spectrum. Taking into consideration that it is a spectrum, there are forms of authoritarianism within some attempts to execute leftist ideology through political means, such as Stalin’s U.S.S.R. for example, and this is where the problem lies. 

Given that leftism is primarily about advocating for equality, freedom, and human rights, things that are not a priority in an authoritarian society, it can be concluded that authoritarian politics are exactly what the left is against. The very nature of an authoritarian government is, unequal participation in the political process, restriction of people’s freedoms, and in some cases, violation of articles of the Universal Declaration of Human rights.

In my opinion, leftism and authoritarianism are two political ideologies that contradict each other.

Sources:

“Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.  

“Left-Wing Politics.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Feb. 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-wing_politics.