Left? Right? Here's how to tell

[sohj]

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

The old "Democrat/Republican" or Left/Right labels have always seemed insufficient to me. Someone pointed this site out to me and I think it is pretty interesting.

edited to add: I placed pretty deep into the Left-Libertarian quadrant. I'm not surprised. (I'm Vermont Republican...pretty libertarian and, these days, pretty lefty, too.: ) Then again, a very California Republican friend of mine who moved to Texas a few years ago also placed really deep into the Left-Libertarian zone, too. She was surprised.

edited a second time to say...tell me what you think about this site and its reading list.

[misfit]

I took the test for curiosity sake and was not too surpised to end up almost exactly in the middle. Not because I don't have strong opinions, but because I've always found that my ideas don't fall neatly into any classification. I agree with some people on some issues, others on other issues.

I think the test would be more accurate if it had allowed a neutral response -- there were issues on which I was undecided or had formed no opinion. And some questions were impossible to answer -- "If economic globalisation is inevitable, it should primarily serve humanity rather than the interests of trans-national corporations." -- well what if you DON'T think economic globalization is inevitable?

[sohj]

Yeah, misfit, there were things I had trouble with. My personal trouble one was "The freer the market, the freer the people." I was wondering in what context? I mean, during the European Colonialism period, the markets weren't very free and corporations controlled the politics/society in whichever region they had the franchise. Then, I would say a freer market might have meant more autonomy for the groups actually doing the production/consumption. (As to whether sovereignty = personal freedom, well, depends on the culture.) However, these days, it seems like unbridled free trade seems to take away personal freedom as in the case of the US, as we lose jobs left and right to other cheaper-labor countries, our individuals lose or give up rights in effect because they are now powerless and become lost in the mass of others looking for work. They become fodder and cease to participate. (If that makes sense to you.)

Anyhow, it is only a multiple choice thing. And no "correct" answer. I guess just try and figure out the best fit.

[sadean]

I'm with Ghandi (deep Libertarian-Left), and that's just fine with me

Why wasn't there anyone in the Libertarian-Right quadrent...it that just an oxymoron?

[misfit]

Nope -- even though I was in the middle, I was on the Libertarian-Right side of the middle. But -- I guess politically I am an oxymoron.

[journeymom]

These type of multiple choice questions don't work unless they force you to choose something. That's how you end up saying you agree that it's natural for children to keep secrets from their parents. Even though you know what they really mean is that by agreeing with that statement you don't object to children keeping secrets from their parents. I answered that I agree, it's a fact that it's natural for kids to keep secrets and lie to their parents sometimes. Doesn't mean I don't object and won't do my darndest to prevent that from happening with my own kids. That's my impression, anyway.

I ended up a left leaning libertarian! I voted for W less than 4 years ago! Who'da thunk it?? I'll have to have dh take the test.

[isleta]

I am with Sadean-deep libertarian-Left! If making peace with the establishment is a sign of maturity-I'll be inmature forever

[Dragonfly]

Libertarian Left here, as well. I don't mind keeping company with Ghandi, the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela

I, too, had trouble with many of the questions (not able to find a solid answer that accurately reflected my ideas)... but it was an interesting exercise, nonetheless. Thanks, sohj!

[Ilaria]

I'm a little more to the left than Mandela and the Dalai Lama-deep left/libertarian.

[sohj]

Bumpity bump, bump, bump

Originally posted by sadean
Why wasn't there anyone in the Libertarian-Right quadrent...it that just an oxymoron?

Nope. I know two people IRL who would probably place DEEEEEEEEEPLY into the Libertarian-Right. Guess none of them are either famous/notorious to get on that site.



So, anyone else feel like "outing" themselves?

[El Casey S]

I'm also hangin' out with Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama! Cool! This quadrant style makes so much more sense than the line!!! I think for President, everyone should have to take this kind of a test and let their answers determine who wins!! Wouldn't that be a hoot!?! Wonder where (dare I say it) Clinton ranks?

[El Casey S]

FROM ICONOCHASMS:
Who said this ?
To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us and make a broken tyrant into a latter-day hero ... assigning young soldiers to a fruitless hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning them to fight in what would be an un-winnable urban guerilla war. It could only plunge that part of the world into even greater instability.
Tony Blair
George Bush Snr
Henry Kissinger
Charlton Heston

Warning :: Spoiler Ahead! Highlight to read message!

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George Bush Snr, in A World Transformed, 1998

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AND THE ONLY ONE I GOT RIGHT:
Who expressed humanitarian abhorrence of the death penalty, declaring that to kill a man in a paroxysm of passion is understandable, but to have him killed by someone else after calm and serious meditation and on the pretext of duty honourably discharged is incomprehensible ?
Ivan the Terrible
The Marquis deSade
Rasputin
Benito Mussolini

Warning :: Spoiler Ahead! Highlight to read message!

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The Marquis deSade

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[Marg of Arabia]

I'm also hangin' out with Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama! Cool! This quadrant style makes so much more sense than the line!!

Me too!

[El Casey S]

From FAQs:
"You can't be libertarian and left wing"

This is almost exclusively an American response, overlooking the undoubtedly libertarian tradition of European anarcho-syndicalism. It was, after all, the important French anarchist thinker Proudhon who declared that property is theft.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the likes of Emma Goldman were identified as libertarians long before the term was adopted by some economic rightwingers. And what about the libertarian collectives of the mid-late 1800s and 1960s?

Americans like Noam Chomsky can claim the label 'libertarian socialist' with the same validity that Milton Friedman can be considered a 'libertarian capitalist'.

The assumption that Social Darwinism delivers more social freedom is questionable. The welfare states of, for example, Sweden and The Netherlands, abolished capital punishment decades ago and are at the forefront of progressive legislation for women, gays and ethnic minorities - not to mention anti-censorship. Such developments would presumably be envied by genuine libertarians in socially conservative countries - even if their taxes are lower.

(Can you tell I'm lovin' this website??)

[sohj]

Yeah, I was really pleased they see the connectiion between anarchists and libertarians.

(Speaking as a lefty - agrarian - populist kinda person.)

[MamaOui]

Another Left Libertarian here.

[steph]

yet another left/liberterian here! I agree it's so comforting somehow to be in the same quadrant with Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and the Dali Lama!

[JessicaS]

left/liberterian as well. So not surprised there are so many on this board.

Did anyone else read the Iconochasms section? Pretty shocking.

[veganmamma]

I was about as far left as you could go and almost as far south. Not surprised. Cool test! Thanks for the heads up!
Lauren

[sohj]

Been passing this around my office

I have discovered that we have a lot of lefty-libertarians here.

And some surprises. One guy who I was thinking would be slightly right and on the line between libertarian and authoritarian turned out to graph out at +2 authoritarian and -3.5 lefty. He said that his answers were either waaaaay "NE" or waaaaaay "SW". And he averaged lefty authoritarian. (This guy is socially conservative from India and plays the stock market a good deal and believes in property rights in a big way.)

My supervisor (we often disagree on things : having to do with management style) plotted slightly less lefty than I, but still in the left-libertarian quad. He has a theory that new englanders and north easterner are going to fall into that...but then I told him I was born in Detroit. Now he's got to adjust.


I'm starting to wonder.....is the majority actually libertarian? If so, we've got some work to do on our government. I think truth in advertising should be called for in political ads. Lots of people running for office say they're more libertarian than they act.