It is called the political spectrum and basically it can be seen as a bar that goes from right to left (with various authors talking about some offshoots, like religion.) The far left are political ideas that focus economically on the community. From Communism (real Communism, where everyone works for the betterment of society and the country is a commune) to Socialism to social-democracy. The far right are political ideas that focus economically on the individual. From Totalitarianism (what is often called Communism but really isn't, examples include the USSR, Germany under the Nazis, etc.) to Libertarians and Conservatism. Most of the Western world is leftist and very on the left to several degrees toward the centre. The one country that is far different is the United States, which is much further right than most Western countries. In the US the left is represented by Ralph Nadar with the idea of government being over corporations. Then the Democrats. On the right at the Republicans, who want more power to corporations and less government (they say that, but what they do is entirely different.) Examples of leftist policies, medicare, social security, national daycare, unemployment insurance, paid vacations, minimum wages, worker safety programs, free/inexpensive education. Examples of rightist policies, lower income taxes, reduced government services, corporate freedom, no minimum wage, free trade, pay for all the services you want/need based on supply and demand.

Left wing are liberals and right wing are conservatives. the term comes from the french revolutio after the nobles had been overthrown/beheaded the new governmemt met on a tennis court (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Court_Oath) to decide the how the new france would be governed. Those with liberal/progressive viewpoints tended to sit on the left wing of the court and those with conservative viewpoints sat on the right. Listen to politicians who are described as either liberal or conservative and the ones you agree with the most will determine your standing as either right or left wing. There is probably some kind of online quiz you can take.

It depends very much upon where in the world you live. Left wing in the USA is sensible middle ground in most European countries. Right wing in the USA is inappropriately nationalistic in most European countries.

http://www.quizilla.com/quizzes/7872981/are-you-left-wing-or-right-wing