There is no objective basis to claim that "right is good and left is bad" or that all individuals identifying with the political left are inherently more aggressive than those on the right. Research consistently demonstrates that extremism and the propensity for violence exist across the political spectrum, though the nature, frequency, and targets of such violence can differ significantly between groups. [1] [2] [3] [4]
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Studies analyzing extremist violence in the United States and globally have provided nuanced insights into the activities of left-wing, right-wing, and religious extremist groups. A University of Maryland-led study, utilizing the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) dataset (1948-2018), found that in the U.S., the probability of a violent act being committed by a right-wing extremist (0.61) was nearly identical to that of an Islamist extremist (0.62), while left-wing extremists had a lower probability (0.33).[1] This suggests that within the U.S. context, right-wing and Islamist extremists have shown a higher likelihood of committing violent acts compared to left-wing extremists.
Globally, using START's Global Terrorism Database (1970-2017), the same study revealed that attacks by Islamist extremists were 131% more likely to result in fatalities than those by right-wing extremists. Consistent with U.S. findings, left-wing extremist attacks were 45% less likely to result in fatalities than right-wing extremist attacks worldwide.[1] This indicates that while right-wing extremism is a significant concern, Islamist extremism has historically been associated with higher lethality on a global scale.
Further analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on U.S. terrorism between 1994 and May 2020 concluded that far-right terrorism has significantly outpaced terrorism from other types of perpetrators, including far-left networks and individuals inspired by the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. [4] Right-wing attacks and plots accounted for 57% of all terrorist incidents during this period, compared to 25% by left-wing terrorists and 15% by religious terrorists. The number of right-wing attacks and plots has also grown substantially in recent years, constituting nearly two-thirds of incidents in 2019 and over 90% between January 1 and May 8, 2020.[4] While religious terrorists were responsible for the most fatalities overall due to the 9/11 attacks, right-wing attackers were most likely to cause more deaths in a given year, accounting for the majority of annual fatalities in 14 out of 21 years where fatal attacks occurred.[4]
A 1990 study comparing left-wing and right-wing terrorist groups in the United States noted some differences in their characteristics and tactics. It suggested that right-wing groups tend to be more violent, while left-wing groups more frequently target law enforcement. Leftist groups were described as tending to be better educated and more meticulous planners, while rightist groups were often more compulsive.[2]
Public perception regarding political violence is also varied. A YouGov poll conducted in September 2025, following the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, found that Americans were split on whether left-wing violence or right-wing violence was a bigger problem (31% vs. 33%). However, liberals overwhelmingly viewed right-wing violence as a bigger problem (75%), while conservatives overwhelmingly saw left-wing violence as the greater issue (73%).[3] The poll also indicated that while a minority of Americans believe political violence can be justified (11%), younger and more liberal Americans are more likely to hold this view, though it remains a minority opinion even within these groups.[3]
In summary, while the perception of which side is "more aggressive" can be subjective and influenced by individual political leanings, empirical data suggests that right-wing extremism has been a more prevalent source of terrorist incidents and annual fatalities in the United States in recent decades. [4] Globally, Islamist extremism has been associated with higher lethality.[1] It is crucial to distinguish between mainstream political affiliations and extremist groups, as terrorism is perpetrated by a small minority of extremists from various ideological backgrounds.[4]
Authoritative Sources
- UMD-Led Study Shows Disparities in Violence Among Extremist Groups. [ccjs.umd.edu/feature/umd-led-study-shows-disparities-violence-among-extremist-groups]↩
- Radical Right vs. Radical Left: Terrorist Theory and Threat. [ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/radical-right-vs-radical-left-terrorist-theory-and-threat]↩
- Charlie Kirk's death sparks debate about political violence. [today.yougov.com/politics/articles/52960-charlie-kirk-americans-political-violence-poll]↩
- The Escalating Terrorism Problem in the United States. [csis.org/analysis/escalating-terrorism-problem-united-states]↩
- Political Violence in the U.S. [pbs.org/newshour/politics/how-recent-political-violence-in-the-u-s-fits-into-a-long-dark-history]↩
- National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). [start.umd.edu]↩
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