How ‘the right side of history’ became a political weapon of moral certainty
In recent years, the phrase 'on the right side of history' has been frequently used by world leaders to assert their political stances. This expression, first popularized by Vladimir Lenin, has become a rhetorical tool to claim moral authority and inevitability.
In early 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared his allies to be on the right side of history. Meanwhile, in 2023, Germany's Die Zeit noted that U.S. President Joe Biden occupied this position, a spot previously held by Angela Merkel, according to Barack Obama. SPD leader Olaf Scholz assured Armin Laschet in 2021 that the SPD was on the right side of history. In 2025, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel declared Belgium's stance at the UN Migration Compact summit to be on the right side of history.
However, philosopher Jan Skudlack observed in 2023 that 'Robert Habeck was on the right side of history.' In early 2025, Christian Lindner implied his stance was on the right side of history by shouting at protesters: 'You’re on the wrong side of history!'
The metaphor of the 'right side' of history, while powerful, is a rhetorical trick that turns morality into necessity and replaces argument with salvific faith. Despite its widespread use, the belief in history's meaning is not emancipatory but an attempt to control fear and powerlessness, producing certainty and authority.
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