The Left - Right political spectrum started with the French Revolution. The National Constitutents Assembly's was drafting a French Constitution. Those who supported the Crown sat on the right and those who wanted to move past the monarchy sat on the left.

The more radical on the left of the assembly called the Jacobins didn't just want to just limit the power of the crown. They wanted Louis's head cut off.

And they succeeded!

But like the American Revolution this was not a fight between the working class and elite. It was one between the aristocracy and bourgeoisie fighting to see who would be survive as the oppressor class. The first truly successful socialist revolution would be the Paris Commune

The elected council of the Commune passed socialist policies and oversaw city functions but was eventually overthrown when the French army retook the city. This was a watershed moment being the first time a worker government took power and would be one of Lenin's models.