Political Compass

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Fri, 2007-01-12 10:00

Political Compass

An interesting short test - and a bit of fun - for anyone who'd like to know precisely where they stand politically on the left/right authoritarian/libertarian axes. A chart also positions you in relation to past and present thinkers, dictators and politicians.

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

My own position is slap in the middle of Kropotkin's beard - just slightly to the right of Gandhi's legs! I'm happy with that.

Fri, 2007-01-12 10:33

archergirl

Ooh, that's cool! I'm more leftie than I thought. Haven't bought the chart, though...

Fri, 2007-01-12 10:58

alan_benefit

Got mine hanging in the toilet.

Fri, 2007-01-12 11:43

ivoryfishbone

i'm nearly the dalai lama ... just a little more of an anarchist ...

Fri, 2007-01-12 11:56

archergirl

I scored very similarly to you, Fish. I hadn't realised I am actually an advocate for anarchy. I thought I was right-ier than that. Answering the questions I also realised how contradictory some of my beliefs are. It was a really interesting test. I'm going to send it to my (Republican) dad and see whether he's as right-wing as he likes to think of himself.

Fri, 2007-01-12 12:06

poetjude

I am in the bottom right quarter and nobody famous is there with me! jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

Fri, 2007-01-12 13:00

pepsoid

I am the Dalai Lama! :-) pe ps oid ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Fri, 2007-01-12 13:01

alan_benefit

Bottom right corner, Jude? On the certificate, you share company with Ayn Rand, and are quite close to Milton Friedman. Very laissez-faire!

Fri, 2007-01-12 13:14

Yan2

I'm gandhi Never a dull moment round 'ere There's nothing more mind-teasing than the incomprehensible eagerly avowed - Dennett

~It's a maze for rats to try, it's a race for rats to die.~

Fri, 2007-01-12 13:16

#10

pepsoid

Well of course we are, Yan... If only the others would realise it, eh? ;-) pe ps oid ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Fri, 2007-01-12 13:33

#11

2Lou

Just to the right of Ghandi, a little further up than the Dalai Lama. Not as anarchical as Fish. I think they could do with more economic questions that don't focus purely on Multinationals, though. ~ www.fabulousmother.com

~
www.fabulousmother.co.uk

Fri, 2007-01-12 13:56

#12

poetjude

I am also in the same place as the Lib Dems and am suprised at that. jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

Fri, 2007-01-12 14:15

#13

Jack Cade

Interesting as this is, it's been pointed out to me - and I've got to agree - that lots of the questions seem posed in such a way as to push you towards a particular answer. I can't remember examples off the top of my head, and I can't be bothered to go through it again, but maybe someone whose done it today could confirm/deny this. I don't think I've heard of anyone yet who hasn't been fairly extremely left-liberal.

Fri, 2007-01-12 14:55

#14

alan_benefit

I'm sure that's just a reflection of the fine souls who use this site, Jack. Can't think of any Pol Pots off the top of my head. Although, hmm... maybe... I agree that some of the questions could be a bit more wide-ranging. There were also a few questions I felt quite neutral about - but that's part of the test, I think. You're not allowed to be neutral. PS I just re-took the test with a few changes to my original answers - more to reflect the sorts of views I would have held in my 20s. I scored moderately right/authoritarian - interestingly, though, still to the left of Tony Blair. There's an old saying: "If you're not a socialist in your youth, there's something wrong with your heart - if you're not a conservative in later life, there's something wrong with your head". I seem to be going the other way.

Fri, 2007-01-12 15:10

#15

poetjude

I don't think I've heard of anyone yet who hasn't been fairly extremely left-liberal I came out as right liberal (the site tries to dispel the myth that right=authoritarian and left=liberal). I am economicaly right and liberal on most social issues. jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

Fri, 2007-01-12 15:19

#16

bobblehat2023

"I am economicaly right and liberal on most social issues." So you're the direct opposite of the Catholic Church. Interesting.

Fri, 2007-01-12 15:46

#17

pepsoid

Instinctively, without thinking too much about it, I reckon I've veered further down the liberal axis, but maybe just a touch to the right, since my "youth"... Generally speaking, I think "freedom" is significantly more important than left/right... How I think the world should be run, economically, is less important than how the people think it should be run... Whereas I used to be a little more The State Knows Best! (only a little, mind...) pe ps oid ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com)

The All New Pepsoid the Second!

Fri, 2007-01-12 15:52

#18

bobblehat2023

"How I think the world should be run, economically, is less important than how the people think it should be run" Under the current neo-liberal capitalist model, neither of these things are remotely important to anyone who makes the decisions.

Fri, 2007-01-12 15:55

#19

poetjude

I know - what am I doing here working for the Church?! Despite being a practicing Catholic I find myself encountering horrible fear-based hatred more often than is comfortable. For example a devout catholic I know once told me "I disagree with LGB socs at Uni because they encourage the invention of a sexual identity" when it seemed quite obvious that she disapproved of them because she didn't want to see expressions of homosexuality and young people comfortable with their homo or bi sexual orientation. And it wasn't as if anyone was asking her to join! One of the requirements of my job is that I agree with the teachings of the Church. *makes spluttering, laughing noises through pursed lips* so I should be careful of what I say! jude "Cacoethes scribendi" http://www.judesworld.net

Fri, 2007-01-12 16:04

#20

Jack Cade

"If you're not a socialist in your youth, there's something wrong with your heart - if you're not a conservative in later life, there's something wrong with your head." I think that quote needs a rethink. "If you're not a socialist in your youth, there's something wrong with your student bar - if you're not a conservative in later life, there's something wrong with your tinted glasses."

Fri, 2007-01-12 16:26

#21

alan_benefit

"Under the current neo-liberal capitalist model, neither of these things are remotely important to anyone who makes the decisions." I notice you didn't include the term 'democratic' there, Buk.

Fri, 2007-01-12 21:00

#22

Radio Denver

Dead center left/right, four.five clicks towards anarchy. Funny...I took a series of tests a while back with the company that showed me to be center-brained also (use left and right side equally). My weenie leans to the right though...I think that means I can look my friends in the eye while I piss on George Bush. Visit me http://www.radiodenver.org/

Share your state secrets at...
http://www.amerileaks.org

Fri, 2007-01-12 21:24

#23

archergirl

Jude, you could join this branch... I have considered taking the vows myself, trouble being that I doubt I'd fit in very well (especially after seeing my score, which was further to the left and further down the anarchist scale than the Dalai Lama). Sisters of the Radical Agenda, anyone? http://www.augustiniansihm.net/ If only all orders were so reasonable!

Fri, 2007-01-12 22:50

#24

mississippi

' ...I have considered taking the vows myself.... ' Stop NOW, if I laugh any harder I'll explode!

Sat, 2007-01-13 00:13

#25

Moimo

I've come up as an extreme left anarchist, bottom left hand corner, exactly two and a half squares from the left and bottom. Bit gutted, I thought I was a pure anarchist, but then maybe the reality of the world today and all that. But saying that, as Jack Cade said, some of the questions were pretty loaded. nobody

Sat, 2007-01-13 10:02

#26

alan_benefit

That puts you almost exactly where I am, nobody. Kropotkin/Gandhi territory on the certificate - with Emma Goldman not too far away. Comfort in numbers, eh? Just did the Iconochasms quiz on the site and got a few surprises: Who held that spiritual characteristics are tied to skin colour and that non-white skin colour is a sign of spiritual defects that would be expunged in a future race war ? Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Steiner Schools. With reference to Tiger Woods' first Golf Masters win, who said "There'll be a spectacular increase in the number of black boys (and I do mean boys - teenagers) who begin to infest the public courses in America"? Alastair Cooke. Which faith still requires its ministers/priests to condone capital punishment ? The Church of England.

Sat, 2007-01-13 15:03

#27

Moimo

Great minds and all that Al. nobody

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