Give me unbiased statistics on political violence between the left and the right. Who commits more violent crimes?
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Was this fact-check helpful?
1. Summary of the results
The analyses provided suggest that right-wing extremist violence is more frequent and deadly than left-wing violence [1]. According to these sources, right-wing extremist violence accounts for approximately 75% to 80% of U.S. domestic terrorism deaths since 2001 [1]. In contrast, left-wing extremist incidents make up about 10% to 15% of incidents and less than 5% of fatalities [1]. However, another analysis suggests that left-wing extremist violence is less frequent and less lethal than right-wing extremist violence, with Islamist extremists being more likely to engage in violent acts globally [2]. Additionally, a study comparing political violence by left-wing, right-wing, and Islamist extremists in the United States and worldwide finds that radical acts perpetrated by individuals associated with left-wing causes are less likely to be violent [2].
- The data shows that Americans are split on whether left-wing or right-wing violence is a bigger problem, with liberals and conservatives having opposite views on the issue [3].
- Another analysis reports that right-wing terrorists are responsible for 11% of murders in terrorist attacks, while left-wing terrorists are responsible for 2% of the total [4].
- A comparative analysis of violent left- and right-wing extremist groups in the United States highlights their similarities and differences in ideologies, goals, tactics, membership, and involvement in violent criminal activity, noting that both types of groups pose a danger to the United States [5].
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
A key missing context in the original statement is the definition of political violence and how it is measured, as different sources may have different definitions and methodologies [6]. Additionally, the original statement does not consider the global context of political violence, as some analyses suggest that Islamist extremists are more likely to engage in violent acts globally [2]. Alternative viewpoints include the idea that both left-wing and right-wing extremist groups pose a danger to the United States, and that the focus should be on addressing the root causes of extremism rather than comparing the frequency and deadliness of different types of violence [5]. Furthermore, the original statement does not account for the subjective nature of data on political violence, which can be influenced by various definitions and ideologies [6].
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original statement may be biased towards a particular ideological perspective, as it asks for unbiased statistics on political violence between the left and the right, implying that there is a clear distinction between the two and that one side is more violent than the other [2] [1]. This framing may benefit those who seek to portray one side as more violent or extremist than the other, such as politicians or media outlets with a particular agenda [3]. Additionally, the original statement may be misleading in its assumption that political violence can be easily categorized as left-wing or right-wing, as the reality of extremism is often more complex and nuanced [2] [5]. The sources cited in the analyses, such as [1], [1], and [1], may also have their own biases and limitations, which could impact the accuracy and reliability of the information presented [6].