Your Political Compass

[Fencergrl]

I'm in good company with Ghandi and Nelson Mandela... I'm okay with that.

[mrbiggs]

Hmm. Curmudgeon mode enabled:

The test is very poorly designed. Quite apart from the fact that I don't think the political spectrum is a compass ( more of a circular continuum ), I was put off straightaway by the simpleminded bias of the very first question, which assumes that the interests of humanity and "transnational corporations" ( uh oh ) are by definition diametric opposites. When in fact the latter merely serve as agents of the market, which itself serves the interests of all in promoting the efficient allocation of resources and the direction of productive capacity. But of course, there's no answer fitting THAT viewpoint...

My faith in the relevance of the test was dashed. I didn't go any farther than that first question, I'm afraid.

Come now. It's just for fun. Sometimes it'll be accurate, sometimes it won't, that's the fun of it.

[Inquartata]

And free markets can only regulate themselves, or rather are regulated by the consumer, when they are free. Protectionist policies, monopolies, cartels and the like act agin this idea. Inq' should realise this as he's defnitely been through basic economics classes.

You are right, of course---I was simplifying things. It wasn't a discourse on economic theory, after all, but a criticism of the test.

Your individual criticisms are also on the mark. However, one of the fundaments of economic theory is the use of assumptions. If the theory is valid, it will still function when the underlying assumptions are relaxed. Introducing distortions to competition and so forth does not vitiate the conclusions of the overall theory of the market. It is still the single best system for allocating the scarce resources of a society to the uses most valued by that society, in an efficient and relatively automatic manner...

The business enterprise is still the basic agent of the supply side of the market, and an indispensable part of the system. Moreover it is not an entity unto itself, with ends of its own; it is merely a congeries of individuals, each of whom are also consumers, investors, and in fine members of the society. To present the question as a dichotomy---that either the interests of "the people" OR those of business enterprises can be served---is IMO unduly reductionistic and sets up the notion that the two can only conflict...

[Araznal]

Just took the test, thought it was way too simplified, but the results are pretty accurate of my views despite that. Actually, my economic views should be more centered there, but whatever, it's not that bad for such a simple test. I wish they could make a test that showed how willing you are to listening to other political views. I think that's far more important than this type of test where the results are easily assumed if you know yourself.

Economic Left/Right: -3.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.46

[Derstern]

Economic Left/Right: -1.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.97

Interesting...

[epeeisky]

Economic Left/Right: -5.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.33

Yep, Nelson Mandela and I.

[telkanuru]

-7.38/-5.95

Are we surprised? No, no we are not...

Just an interesting point, several studies have been done showing that many Republicans believe falsly that their ideals are shared by their party, and that people are, by and large, much more "liberal" than they think they are...

[Inquartata]

"Several studies"...conducted by---liberals! Oooh, what a give-away!

[Slim]

-7.38/-5.95

Are we surprised? No, no we are not...

Just an interesting point, several studies have been done showing that many Republicans believe falsly that their ideals are shared by their party, and that people are, by and large, much more "liberal" than they think they are...

What exactly are the ideals that were studied?

If this so called study took a few choice extremes of what the libs like to coin as "neocon" and "christian fundamentalist" views and tried to use that as the benchmark for mainstream Republican ideas, I wouldnt be suprised it revealed this.

[CvilleFencer]

I am in the company of such notable figures as Mandela, Ghandi and Fencergrl! A fun little diversion of a test, but I would not reshape my world view over it...

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -6.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.56

[Coup de Grace]

I scored on the Libertarian side of the line (no surprise). But I took issue with how many of the questions were structured. Too many leading questions. Anyway, a very interesting link JEC.

This political quiz is my favorite: http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html

[ThatReallyHurt]

I scored on the Libertarian side of the line (no surprise). But I took issue with how many of the questions were structured. Too many leading questions. Anyway, a very interesting link JEC.

This political quiz is my favorite: http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html

Whoo! Centrist!

[prototoast]

Economic Left/Right: 6.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.46

I've always been along that vector, but I believe my current magnitude is greater than previous times I've taken the test.

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!


I got -2.00 or the economics, and -4,00 on the freedom/authoritharianism axis. Therefore, I have the same economics value of Pope Benedict XVI, and the same freedom rating as Nelson Mandela. If it were the other way around, I would have ended up close to Robert Mugabe.

I also notice that one the chart, I am approximately equally (far) distant from GWH Bush and Saddam Hussein.

I find the scales quite offset - I vote for the most economically conservative party here in Sweden, and I am still on negative side of the money scale.

It would be fun with a 3-dimensional diagram - what the 3rd axis should be I put up as a subject for discussion.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!


I retook the test, and answered what I thought the Swedish leftist party would have answered. result:

Economy: -10.00
Social lib/auth: -5.49

With the opinions of the Swedish christian party, one gets:
Economy: 0.75
Social lib/auth: 2.05
This is somewhere between Chirac and Schröder, and as far morally conservative one gets over here among the major parties.

With the opinions of a White supremacist party, one gets:
Economy: 3.13
Social lib/auth: 6.41
This is closest to Ariel Sharon, but a bit left of him. Interesting combination!


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[schlager7]

Economic Left/Right: -7.63
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.59


Not much of a surprise.