I thought it might be interesting if people on the forums here would take a political survey that aims at determining your political orientation. one i found that seems to be decent is: http://www.politicalcompass.org/questionnaire It plots your position on a two axis model, based on 6 pages of questions. The results may surprise you... how some well known individuals fall on the axis: Stalin: Extreme left, extreme authoritarian Hitler: Slightly right, extreme authoritarian Margaret Thatcher: Right and authoritarian Gandhi: left and libertarian Milton Friedman: Right and libertarian Finally, me: slightly right and libertarian. Surprised? Current PC members (updated as i see the posts): Current world leaders:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ May 30 2007, 11:35 AM) [snapback]452133[/snapback]</div> Does anyone else thing this chart is messed up? How are communism (left) and neo-liberalism (right) opposites? Isn't the opposite of communism capitalism or something along those lines? (free markets, etc.) And while I can see the case for using authoritarian vs. libertarian, I think this is confusing as well. After all, authoritarian is usually used to describe a dictatorship, yet a democracy can and does often choose systems which are communal and obligatory, thereby decidedly NOT libertarian. It's a neat idea, but I can't wrap my brain around it the way it is. Sorry, E.
The x axis deals with the economic spectrum, while the y-axis deals with the social spectrum. It's come up in some threads on here in the past that the two spectrum's are disjoint - just because someone might be socially liberal doesn't mean they can't be fiscally conservative. I don't want to say too much about it before people take the test, but at the end is a pretty good explanation of how the axis work out, with some good examples of well known characters (like hitler, stalin, etc) to help define the extremes. I don't associate much with the labels they put on the axis - just think of them as ranging from liberal to conservative in the social and economic aspects. So i would fall as slightly conservative economically, and more liberal socially.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tyrin @ May 30 2007, 11:45 AM) [snapback]452138[/snapback]</div> The FAQ's will help answer some of your questions. #19 should answer your first one. Excellent topic here. I take this test about once per year just to see where I'm at. I guess it's time to take it once again. Everyone should take it. Sometimes your graph may surprise you.
I'm pretty much smack-dab in the middle of the bottom-left quadrant (i.e. Left/Liberatarian). It surprised me a bit; I always think of myself as an extreme social liberal, but more fiscally conservative (but still on the "left" side of the spectrum). BTW, should we read anything into the fact that the more liberal ideas are on the negative side of the spectrum?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ May 30 2007, 11:35 AM) [snapback]452133[/snapback]</div> My position: Economic 1.75 Social: 0.56 Not really surprised that overall those on this board will probably fall within a narrow range. Even though the disagreements between liberal and conservative here in the US make it seem like a wide distance separates our beliefs, when compared to the whole spectrum of ideas and philosophies in the world we would appear to be much more alike than different.
Egads...I"m just boring..... The Political Compass Economic Left/Right: 0.13 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.23
A few of the questions were tough. I mean I can answer with a gut feeling of how it COULD work, then I have to modify it with our current situations and realities and change the answer because there is too much corruption. lol Economic Left/Right: -8.50 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.33 I guess if some redneck calls me a "commie bastard" I'll just have to accept the title???
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(05_SilverPri @ May 30 2007, 12:27 PM) [snapback]452163[/snapback]</div> Well...I'm: *Economic: -6.50 *Social: -6.41 Not too surprised.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ May 30 2007, 11:09 AM) [snapback]452188[/snapback]</div> Figures you were "my kind". The Raiders still suck.
And for the record, i'm: Economic Left/Right: 1.25 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.44 I think i might wait a few days, then compile a graph with everyone's positions, just for a fun comparison. Of course, we need to get a few more people to post first - Berman, Daron, Squid, BigMama?
Isn't perception interesting? I thought I'd score more radical than I did It's me and the Dali Lama down in that quad economic=-5.88 social=-5.13
Your political compass Economic Left/Right: 3.38 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.18 I am a Conservative Libertarian. However, I am a registered Democrat.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(F8L @ May 30 2007, 02:06 PM) [snapback]452186[/snapback]</div> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ May 30 2007, 02:09 PM) [snapback]452188[/snapback]</div> Count me in with the Commie crowd: Economic Left/Right: -5.75 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.85
Economic -4.75 Libertarian -6.26 About right for me. On similar tests I used to score a little more right on economic issues, but after the last several years of corporate incomes rising during stagnant wage growth for all but the top 1% and after Enron, Worldcom, and so on, and after seeing how several markets can balloon and collapse due to speculation, I guess my faith in capitalism has been waning. I still agree with that idiot Larry Kudlow that capitalism is the best path to prosperity, but I have come to realize that capitalism has serious flaws that government needs to become involved in (such as inequality in education access, inequality in healthcare, the concentration of wealth in a few at the expense of the many, the manipulation of markets for profit, the abuse of the commons, and so on). And at the same time governmental intervention can create more problems.
*edit* i updated the original post with a chart plotting out everyone who's replied so far - i'll try to keep it updated
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ May 30 2007, 02:02 PM) [snapback]452215[/snapback]</div> Cool, thanks for doing that...the visual helps.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarinJohn @ May 30 2007, 02:26 PM) [snapback]452197[/snapback]</div> Did you forget the negative signs, John? The graph has you up in W territory.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eagle33199 @ May 30 2007, 12:02 PM) [snapback]452215[/snapback]</div> Great idea I'm think we may have to create a new chart if too many people participate though. OMG! That was forward thinking towards pro-growth wasn't it? Eek! :lol: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Proco @ May 30 2007, 12:06 PM) [snapback]452220[/snapback]</div> I noticed that too. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MarkMN @ May 30 2007, 12:02 PM) [snapback]452214[/snapback]</div> Mark, I have come to the same conclusions due to the many books I've read and conversations I've had with some local government official and businessmen/women. Most of this stuff becomes readily apparent once you learn how to use systemic thinking and apply ecological principles to some social structures. Obviously it is not easy to do nor does it always work but it is another tool in the tool box.
