Left-Wing Extremism

noun phrase

/left wɪŋ ɪkˈstriː.mɪz.əm/

A form of political violence conducted by Naxalite-Maoist groups in India's tribal Red Corridor regions spanning Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and adjoining states, rejecting parliamentary democracy in favour of armed overthrow and claiming to champion exploited tribal and agrarian communities

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

The Ministry of Home Affairs tri-pronged approach to left-wing extremism combines security operations, developmental interventions in LWE-affected districts, and perception management, recognising that purely kinetic responses to Maoist violence cannot substitute for addressing agrarian grievances.

Synonyms

NaxalismMaoismNaxal insurgencyCPI (Maoist) violence

Antonyms

parliamentary leftdemocratic socialismconstitutional political participation

🌱 Word Family

left-wing extremism (n phrase), Naxalism (synonym n), LWE (abbreviation), extremism (n), extremist (n/adj)

🔡 Root

Old Norse lyftr = weak side (left) + Old English winge = wing + Latin extremus = outermost (exter = outer) + -ism = doctrine suffix

📜 Etymology

Derived from the 1967 Naxalbari peasant uprising in West Bengal; ideological lineage traces to Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist); MHA reports show LWE-affected districts declined from 126 (2010) to 45 (2023) under the National Policy and Action Plan on LWE (2015)

🧠 Memory Hook

LEFT + WING + EXTREME: politics at the FAR LEFT that went to the EXTREME -- trading ballots for bullets

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Prelims 2024 — Internal Security
Prelims 2017 — Internal Security
Prelims 2016 — Internal Security
Mains 2020 · GS3 · 15 marks — Internal Security
Mains 2018 · GS3 · 10 marks — Security

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Left-Wing Extremism” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

🛡️ Internal Security 📖 Seen in: Internal Security — Threats, Cyber Sec...

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