horseshoe theory

Horseshoe theory is a political concept suggesting that the far-left and far-right ends of the political spectrum are more similar to each other than to the moderate center. Imagine the political spectrum as a horseshoe shape: the extremes curve toward each other at the top, indicating they may share certain characteristics, like authoritarian tendencies or populist rhetoric, despite opposing ideologies. This theory challenges the idea that political beliefs are linear and encourages a deeper examination of how radical ideologies can converge in practice, despite their stated values.