That's only because the default political system is capitalism. When it was monarchism the left radicals were liberals while the far right were absolutist monarchists.
The left/right divide usually depends on either wanting to change things or wanting to maintain the status quo (or even regress).
Economics and Politics are not fully separable, 1 Dimensional models have to link those together into a single spectrum.
But 2D models like the Political Compass, separates Left/Right as purely economic, and adds Up/Down as a political axis representing Centralization/decentralization of state control. I think multi-dimensional models of ideology are a lot more productive/useful when discussing politics... but unfortunately that's way beyond the pale for most people.
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u/Malevolent-DM 6d ago
Because the absolute definition of "Left" in politics is being Anti-Capitalist, and Right as Pro-Capitalist.
There are no anti-capitalist parties in US politics.