Looking at society through left-right lens is outdated
Ioannis Ioannou argues that the left-right divide is inadequate in today's world
In a letter to the FT, Ioannis Ioannou, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School, writes the following:
John Burn-Murdoch’s recent column “CEOs are moving left, but ‘woke capitalism’ is not the whole story” (Opinion, Data Points, October 19) touches on the shifting dynamics of corporate activism.
However, I wonder if framing these shifts through the traditional left-right political lens makes sense, not only in a corporate context but more broadly. The left-right divide has long been a convenient framework for categorising political ideologies, yet it seems increasingly inadequate in capturing the motivations and actions of both individuals and organisations today. Initiatives such as ESG and DEI are not about shifting left or right; they’re pragmatic responses to evolving societal demands, risk and regulatory pressures.
Reducing them to partisan moves misses the real story. More broadly, today’s challenges — climate, equity, resilience — demand nuanced solutions that do not fit neatly into ideological boxes. This outdated framing fuels polarisation and stifles practical progress. It’s time we reconsidered whether the left-right spectrum helps or hinders us in understanding modern complexities. Moving beyond it could open the door to more effective and collaborative problem-solving.
Image courtesy of Dr Ioannis Ioannou, London Business School
