History

While traditionally socialism is a class based division, The German national socialist workers party promoted a fascistic, race based divison to garner votes and was neither of the traditional right (look after yourself) or of the left (state looks after you).

All political divisions, whether based on class or race etc. have a tendency to subsume philosophy into intolerance in order to achieved a populist “mandate” to enforce their particular doctrine through law, war or oppression.

Presidents and to no real lesser extent Prime Ministers, and their political followers believe they have a enforceable mandate as rulers. In truth the mandate is only to legislate and the real power in a “market democracy” has always rested with the ability of capital to control the legislators through propaganda and/or the direct corruption of the political class. I.e. The fourth estate, the banks, the miners, the financiers, control the market democracy because they have the capital needed to create the propaganda that swings large enough voting blocks. This is not new and at least there is almost always real freedom in a market democracy, you may not like any of the choices but you are free to make them.

Nb: The alternative is a “socialist democracy” where the corrupt political class is directly responsible for propaganda and capital and there is no choice.