If we want to know where any form of society is on the political spectrum (left or right), we need to answer one question: what’s the state role in society? The weaker the state, the more to the left on the spectrum. The stronger the state, the more to the right the formation is. In addition, we can also differentiate between formations by the economic form of society. These two points will give us an exhaustive answer.

Examples:

• Anarchism is no state and no economic formation. Hence, it’s an ultra-leftist faction.
• Communism is no state and no commercial production. Hence, it’s an ultra-leftist faction.
• Libertarianism is no state and free market. Hence, it’s an ultra-leftist faction.
• Socialism is weak state and no commercial production. Hence, it’s a left-wing faction.
• Conservatism is strongly state and monopoly/oligopoly market. Hence, it’s a right-wing faction.
• Fascism is strongly state and state capitalism. Hence, it’s an ultra-right faction.

There are occasional exceptions to these definitions. For instance, at the beginning of socialism there can be a strong state, that must then disappear. The USSR was like that, but it didn’t get to complete socialism.

So liberalism is a centrist ideology. For some topics it’s left of center, for some topics it’s right of center.