Overview
Are communism and fascism opposites? Aren’t they on opposite ends of the political spectrum? Just what is left and what is right? And what does it mean to be “middle of the road”? Is there another way to look at political philosophies? This video segment looks at the commonly accepted political spectrum and suggests a different approach.

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Grade level and subjects
• Recommended for grades 6-12
• Subjects: Government
• Works in Classroom, Hybrid, and Homeschool settings

What students will learn
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• explain the generally accepted left-right political spectrum;
• discuss similarities among various political philosophies;
• evaluate the left-right political spectrum; and
• compare the left-right spectrum with one that sets freedom as the opposite of totalitarianism.

Key concepts and terms covered
Bipartisanship, Crony Capitalism, and Corporatism.

Sample discussion questions
• What is an “ism,” or ideology? Are all political opinions “isms”? Explain.
• What freedoms do people lack under both far-left and far-right governments?
• How do the commonly accepted views of left and right compare and contrast with the left and right that Matt Kibbe talks about?
• What common values do you think Matt Kibbe wants? Why does he say Republicans and Democrats “collude” rather than “compromise”?
• Do you agree that the left-right political spectrum keeps people fighting with each other? Would people still have disagreements if they didn’t have the idea of a political spectrum to label different opinions? Explain.

What’s in the free teacher’s guide
This printable 6-page Teacher's Guide includes a lesson description, learning objectives, key vocabulary, a fill-in viewing guide with answer key, discussion and analysis questions, and classroom activities.

Standards alignment
Aligned to state standards — use the SITC Standards Tool to match this video to the standards in your state.