Assertion: In the politics of most countries, you will always come across references to parties and groups with a Left or Right ideology or leaning.
Reason: Left often refers to those who support government policies for the benefit of downtrodden sections; whereas the Right refers to those who believe that free competition ensures progress.

Both the Assertion and the Reason are correct but the Reason is not the correct explanation of the Assertion.

In the politics of most countries, one will always come across references to parties and groups with a Left or Right ideology or leaning. These terms characterise the position of the concerned groups or parties regarding social change and role of the state in effecting economic redistribution. Left often refers to those who are in favour of the poor, downtrodden sections and support government policies for the benefit of these sections. The Right refers to those who believe that free competition and market economy alone ensure progress and that the government should not unnecessarily intervene in the economy.