There are no true “liberals” or “conservatives,” no simple “leftists” or “rightists.”
As The Political Compass indicates, these labels are only somewhat accurate in describing a person’s position on a single subject such as economics, or social freedoms. The labels are useless for the purpose of accurately describing a person’s overall philosophy or “worldview.”
For a more accurate description of someone’s philosophy, a label encompassing three or more dimensions worthy of Star Trek would be ideal, but a two-dimensional graph covering both economic and social views can serve as a helpful starting point.
The Political Compass offers a brief test to determine where participants are situated on a graph combining collectivism vs. neo-liberalism (free-market libertarian), and fascism (authoritarianism) vs. anarchy (social libertarianism).
An analysis of the graph reveals that one could easily be both communist and fascist in one corner of the political world, and in another corner it is possible to be progressive or “leftist” while still favoring small government. Some people aspire to authoritarian free markets (a current U.S. president comes to mind), while others work for the Cato Institute.
Take the test for yourself and find out where you stand. Feel free to share the news here. Here’s how I scored.
Please let us know if you know of other online tests that intelligently assess or graph a person’s worldview.
Well I’m a little tired but I think I got most of it correct. Some of the questions were too ambiguous I thought, but it does seem more accurate that the usual scale. I’m afraid they may want my GOP card back if I read this correctly 😉
My Results
David Roberts
Economic Left/Right: -3.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.18
Somewhere close to where the Dalai Lama is–which is OK with me. I tend to think of myself as more libertarian than I really am in the realm of economics. I think a free market benefits society, but there are some places where I don’t think that corporations can be trusted to regulate themselves.
I knew that I would show up as socially “left” before taking the test.
economic left/right: -4.13
social libertarian/authoritarian: -4.82
No surprises here.
Economic Left/Right: 2.5
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.00
I appear to have the makings of a fine Log Cabin Republican.
I’ve forgotten the exact scores, but I was somewhere near Nelson Mandela 😛
Economic Left/Right: 0.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.49
I have no idea what this means, beyond the fact that no one featured on the graph is anywhere near me. But I showered!
Economic Left/Right: 3.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -1.85
I found the report to be a bit fuzzy-wuzzy for me and didn’t give me the option of answering the way I really wanted. And the questions were more about what I feel than what I think. Even then, they were simplistic and not nuanced.
Do I think that businessmen are more important than artists? No.
But then again, I consider art to be a commodity and that patrons of non-commercial art do so because of their own personal rewards. In other words, art is business.
Somehow I don’t think that is reflected in my answer.
But I guess it would be nearly impossible to develop a three minute test that would accurately determine political pinpointing on a grid.
I always fall right/libertarian: Economic Left/Right: 3.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.97
Does this make me a “pinko-lefty?”
Economic Left/Right: -8.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.54
Economic Left/Right: -4.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.69
I agree with Timothy on some of the questions. These two, for example, had me wondering how they figured in the score:
First-generation immigrants can never be fully integrated within their new country.
A significant advantage of a one-party state is that it avoids all the arguments that delay progress in a democratic political system.
Both of these might imply a value judgment that doesn’t necessarily follow from my answer. I believe, for example, that first-gen immigrants never fully integrate into their new country, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. It’s part of the strength of a nation like ours.
And obviously decision-making is much more streamlined in a one-party state. As for “progress”, well I don’t know exactly how to assess that. But there’s no denying that decision-making in a democracy is horrendously messy, circuitous, and prone to undue influence by powerful special interests. In other words, democracy is the worst form of government — except for all the others.
Economic Left/Right: -3.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.92
I’m somewhere in between the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela.
I couldn’t hope for better company.
Economic Left/Right: -5.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.13
I’m in the same space as Gandhi, kind of in between Mandela and the Dalai Lama, also. No surprises here. Violence, racism and totalitarian governments are just wrong.
Economic Left/Right: -4.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.15
Not surprised at all.
Economic Left/Right: 0.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.62
My god… I am more liberal than Ghandi…. 🙂