A similar test can be found at the Political Compass website. The chart it produces is for British politics (calling conservatism "neo-liberalism") but it is still interesting. The site claims to be working on a US specific chart,
I took the test. It told me I was a Libertarian. Hah. Showed you guys. Y'all thought I was just another Bush-hatin', tax-lovin', anti-Rush Liberal, didntcha!
On the quiz JeffB linked, I was rated: Economic Left/Right: -5.50 Authoritarian/Libertarian: -2.05 That is, slightly libertarian socially and economically pretty leftist. That's two quizes now that marked me as a liberal. Is it true? Oh, my mother would be so happy! But my wife would be so upset.
I'm a liberal conservative. Liberal with regards to economic questions, conservative with regards to crime prevention, etc.
OK, OK ...on JeffB's quiz looks like I'm like pgabriel, close to Ghandi... Economic Left/Right: -3.75 Authoritarian/Libertarian: -5.79
Just tipped the scale 36-35 Republican But I lean towards the left on many things... just depends on the issue.
Of course, I do know you can't really have Libertarianism for everyone. It's one of those things that seems good for you but not so good when your neighbor decides to open an unlicensed taxidermist's shop next door, and washes the blood down a shared driveway (true story!). There has to be a balance of cetralized controls and local autonomy. Liberal and Conservative are really misnomers, but as popularly used, refer to political officeholders who are beholden to financial backers A) or B). Because I think my interests are usually in opposition to those requested by trial lawyers, public sector unions, private sector unions, and other various quota and control demands, I'm going conservative. I put individual responsibility hand in hand with individual freedom. On the other hand, I can't particularly endorse mass spending for a military/industrial complex (or space exploration), legislating morals, or abandoning responsibility for an educated public and responsible commerce. I do generally mistrust social welfare initiatives, but there are cases where action is necessary for public safety and commerce. If there were a surge in the number of dangerous, glue-addicted homeless children (like Brazil), I'd want to do something to remove the children from the streets sufficient for public order. I don't think locking them all up in prisons is very good public policy. And so on for various social welfare programs, of varying effectiveness and merit.
Well, in the first test I was right on the far left border of Left Liberal and Libertarian...which I guess means that the libertarian calculator did not really know where to put me since what I am is not on their chart. On the second I was: Economic Left/Right: -7.75 Authoritarian/Libertarian: -8.15 That chart is wrong, though, because it is putting Libertarian and anarchist as the same thing...while that was true in the 19th century, it is not true now, as anarchists have had to take the longer Libertarian Socialist title, for the most part (so anarchism should be in the bottom left corner of that chart).
I'm liberal 100%. I'm not liberal in the way that conservatives try and paint liberals. I'm for some gun control, pot legalization(thought I don't use it, personally), gay rights, affirmative action, women's rights, stricter govt. regulation of business in order to stop corruption, more spending on education, health care for all who are sick and need it. I'm anti-censorship of just about everything, I love free speech, even when I don't like the things said. I'm not a vegetarian, I hate political correctness, I don't believe in inaction or appeasement when it comes to foreign affairs(and contrary to what many hawks and conservatives say, non military action doesn't equal appeasement.), I don't have knee jerk reactions, I don't like an excess of law suits, and I do believe that teachers should have some forms of discipline allowed to them in order to maintain control of the classroom.
Can you give a couple of issues on which I can decide which position I take and vote accordingly? I don't want to call myself liberal because I do think the death penalty should be used if everything was fair. I do think people should own guns but not crazy NRA style. I'm not a fan of homosexuality and seriously consider it immoral but I don't know about their rights. I think abortion is sick and should be banned forever everywhere (of course there are probably exceptions). I don't think we should all be running around naked and getting high but I don't think drugs are a bigger problem then poverty and health care. Yet foreign policy wise...there ain't no debate. Help me I'm confused.
Sorry bro. I'm going for a blanket here. Inside your heart you know. And trust me there are PLENTY of issues on which I would be considered a liberal. However inside, I know that what I want for the US right now is conservatism. So I voted that way. If you cannot decide then you are on the fence and that is perfectly fine. Howeever if I put a Too Hard To Choose button then 80% of the contributors would pick it. BTW I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts and I respect all of the opinions.
What I take from this is that I seem to be rather moderate. Interestingly enough, although I am extremely interested in politics and usually have firm opinions on matters, this is probably the reason I have not gotten more involved in politics yet. Apparently, I do not feel strongly enough about one particular subject to really get involved.
