political theory that the far left and far right have similarities From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Horseshoe Theory is an idea in political science. It asserts that the far-right is more similar to the far-left than to the center-right and vice versa. Horseshoe Theory is often used as argument for centrism.
The name Horseshoe Theory comes from the idea that politics is not a straight line from left to right but bent like a horseshoe so that the two ends (the far-left and the far-right) share more similarities with each other than their moderate counterparts.
Philosopher Jean-Pierre Faye invented Horseshoe Theory after observation of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union's joint invasion of Poland which started World War II.[1]
Common criticism of Horseshoe Theory have often stated that politics are more complex than a simple scale between left and right, and many ideas the far-left follows are not followed by the far-right. Because of this, many experts, like Simon Choat, have said that Horseshoe Theory is false.[2] A common rebuttal to Horseshoe Theory is the broaching of Fishhook Theory.
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