Political alignment analysis

[Proletariat]

Not to mention that HoreTore's quote is an equally hamstrung Eurocentric view as the American perspective it taunts. If you think Republicans are 'extreme right' where on Earth do you put the BNP or France's National Front on the spectrum?

[drone]

Not to mention that HoreTore's quote is an equally hamstrung Eurocentric view as the American perspective it taunts. If you think Republicans are 'extreme right' where on Earth do you put the BNP or France's National Front on the spectrum?

Moderates.

[Xiahou]

Not to mention that HoreTore's quote is an equally hamstrung Eurocentric view as the American perspective it taunts. If you think Republicans are 'extreme right' where on Earth do you put the BNP or France's National Front on the spectrum?

Not to mention that "liberal" by definition can't be moderate. Liberalism is about change, conservatism is about preserving the status quo. Neither side of the pond really uses the terms as they should, strictly speaking.

My theory for the difference is that the US was founded on a limited government, therefore to us, conservatism is trying to maintain that. I think that Europe doesn't have the same foundations in that regard, so the term takes on different meaning.

*I haven't really put much thought into this, mind you.

[Ser Clegane]

Not to mention that "liberal" by definition can't be moderate. Liberalism is about change, conservatism is about preserving the status quo. Neither side of the pond really uses the terms as they should, strictly speaking.

Actually, by definition "liberalism" is not necessarily about "change" - if you look at the meaning of the word it is about "freedom". So actually, by definition, it is not necessarily the opposite of conservatism (e.g., by definition it should be "liberal" to be against strong gun control).

This is in line with how (at least AFAIK - I am sure about the German use of the term) "liberal" is used here in Europe (and more in line with what is called "libertarian" in the US).

[Geoffrey S]

It's the usual problem of attempting to fit politics onto a straight line, bookending it with arbitrary terms such as "right" and "left".

[Pannonian]

Not to mention that "liberal" by definition can't be moderate. Liberalism is about change, conservatism is about preserving the status quo. Neither side of the pond really uses the terms as they should, strictly speaking.

My theory for the difference is that the US was founded on a limited government, therefore to us, conservatism is trying to maintain that. I think that Europe doesn't have the same foundations in that regard, so the term takes on different meaning.

*I haven't really put much thought into this, mind you.

The US was founded on classically liberal ideas. The famous paragraph from the American DoI is as good a summary of classical liberalism as there is. If one goes back a bit further, one can trace the break between liberalism and the state back to the corresponding break between protestantism and the established church. IMHO that's why Britain is a bit different from mainland Europe in our political thinking, and the US more different still.

[econ21]

Economic Left/Right: -1.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.62

[Productivity]

I've updated it with Crazed Rabbit, Tribesman, econ21 and Ser Clegane. I've also added an average - it's just the mean of all scores. Ice wins at the moment.

[FactionHeir]

Your name truly suits you
Well done with the graphing.

[Big King Sanctaphrax]

Economic Left/Right: -1.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.46

Similar to Econ.

[Ice]

I've updated it with Crazed Rabbit, Tribesman, econ21 and Ser Clegane. I've also added an average - it's just the mean of all scores. Ice wins at the moment.

[HoreTore]

Not to mention that HoreTore's quote is an equally hamstrung Eurocentric view as the American perspective it taunts. If you think Republicans are 'extreme right' where on Earth do you put the BNP or France's National Front on the spectrum?

I put them on a special list of people deserving a good torching

Seriously though, nazi/fascist parties are, of course, way more extreme right than the republicans are. Extreme-extreme-extreme right might be fitting.

Not to mention that "liberal" by definition can't be moderate. Liberalism is about change, conservatism is about preserving the status quo. Neither side of the pond really uses the terms as they should, strictly speaking.

As Ser_Clegane points out, liberalism is about freedom, not change. However, there are two forms of liberalism:

- Economic liberalism, ie. free-market, minimal state, low taxes etc.
- Social liberalism, ie. personal freedom, what you do is your own business and should not restricted, or in other words, pro-gay marriage, pro-choice, etc(as Ser_Clegane pointed out, pro-guns is a liberal stance)

Now, the parties who have BOTH of these forms in their policy, belong in the centre. They have are both left(social) and right(economic), and +1 - -1 = 0.

However, other parties usually stick with one of those forms while banning the other, or, more commonly, put major restrictions and only allow it in certain areas. Those with an emphasis on economic and not social usually belong on the right. The opposite belongs on the left. Note that here in europe, he usual stance for most conservatives(like the democrats) is slightly off centre , in that they have a lot of economic liberalism, but they also have quite a bit of social liberalism too.

Myself, for example, belongs on the left. I'm big on social liberalism, but I want great restrictions on economic liberalism. Don_Corleone(well, from what I've seen of his posts), on the other hand, is a fan of economic liberalism, while being a conservative on the social issues, thus placing him on the right.

[Don Corleone]

Myself, for example, belongs on the left. I'm big on social liberalism, but I want great restrictions on economic liberalism. Don_Corleone(well, from what I've seen of his posts), on the other hand, is a fan of economic liberalism, while being a conservative on the social issues, thus placing him on the right.

I'd say I'm much more a fan of economic liberalism than social conservatism (in fact, on some matters, I'm rather socially liberal as well). The problem stems from the fact that politics really occupies a two variable space, but we all try to define it in one dimension (left and right). If they serve no other purpose, those endless Libertarian 'political position' charts should be regarded for getting people to start thinking like that.

I do find it interesting that in condensing from two dimensions to one, economics wins over social issues. People that are economically liberal and socially liberal consider themselves (and everybody else considers them) rightys. People that are economically conservative and socially conservative consider themselves (and every body else considers) lefty.

[HoreTore]

I'd say I'm much more a fan of economic liberalism than social conservatism (in fact, on some matters, I'm rather socially liberal as well). The problem stems from the fact that politics really occupies a two variable space, but we all try to define it in one dimension (left and right). If they serve no other purpose, those endless Libertarian 'political position' charts should be regarded for getting people to start thinking like that.

I do find it interesting that in condensing from two dimensions to one, economics wins over social issues. People that are economically liberal and socially liberal consider themselves (and everybody else considers them) rightys. People that are economically conservative and socially conservative consider themselves (and every body else considers) lefty.

Yes, that's the problem with left/right view, it's meant to cover only economic issues. Social stuff isn't really covered by it, so when defining parties, their economic policies are always counted first. We really need 2 scales to take that into account, one left/right for economics, and one liberal/conservative(or whatever) for social issues. I like this one:

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

[Proletariat]

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: 5.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.13

Interesting but there were some pretty loaded questions there, HoreTore.

[HoreTore]

Interesting but there were some pretty loaded questions there, HoreTore.

I wasn't referring to the test, I was referring to their scale

Btw:

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -9.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.23

[Xiahou]

http://www.politicalcompass.org/

My turn! My turn!

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: 7.12
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 0.87

That seems pretty close. My social conservatism definitely takes the backseat to my economic conservatism.

I agree that blanket conservative/liberal labels are a bit simplistic as there are clear social and economic components to each.

[FactionHeir]

[bandwagon]
Economic Left/Right: -5.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 0.21
[/bandwagon]
Although personally I would categorize myself slightly less leftist and more authoritarian.

Ummm as for the topic... While I can somewhat understand how he is trying to avoid his homosexual affections by displaying himself as a staunch opponent to it, I do think that Craig would be wise to resign at this point (for the good of his party, and also to possibly get out of public spotlight), as with the contradictions in his attitude in relation to his actions diminishes the credibility he may have had.

[Proletariat]

However, other parties usually stick with one of those forms while banning the other, or, more commonly, put major restrictions and only allow it in certain areas. Those with an emphasis on economic and not social usually belong on the right. The opposite belongs on the left. Note that here in europe, he usual stance for most conservatives(like the democrats) is slightly off centre , in that they have a lot of economic liberalism, but they also have quite a bit of social liberalism too.

There's a good difference between the European view and our's, our Libertarian party, who represents economic and social liberlism is considered rather far right, rather than centric.

Even that is up for debate though, so here it isn't that cut and dry either.

Capitalist libertarians consider themselves proponents of Classical liberalism, which was the the main adversary of the first far-right. In his essay "Left and Right: the Prospects for Liberty" and "Confessions of a Right-Wing Liberal", Murray Rothbard even put libertarianism on the left, claiming that conservatives are the right and socialists merely "middle-of-the road".[3][4] However, George Lakoff, in his book Moral Politics, states that libertarianism draws from the conservative metaphorical model of American political ideology.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_right

Like Geoffrey pointed out, it's better to view political spectrums as circular, rather than a left-right line. Stalin and Hitler's governments had alot more in common with each other than our Republicans and Democrats here, even tho the the former are considered 'extreme left' and 'extreme right.'

[Innocentius]

If you think Republicans are 'extreme right' where on Earth do you put the BNP or France's National Front on the spectrum?

Hehe, over here, a party with the views of the Republicans would probably considered a threat to the welfare of our society. Like that British doctor said in Sicko: It would be a revolution if socialized healthcare was removed. Also, no political party with the word "Front" in their name can be any good.

I took the political compass too, by the way:
Economic Left/Right: -7.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.38
Pretty close to Dalai Lama...

To be honest though, this doesn't really reflect my political views as I'm a fascist in some aspects, anarchist in some and just plain ignorant and indifferent in others. A political test can never be perfect. I prefer to define my political stance from my philosophic view: to heck with it all.

[Pannonian]

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -3.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.18

[econ21]

Good work, Productivity. I think the two unknowns on your graph (Geoffrey_S and I) are both Euros.

I wonder what is the mean difference in the horizontal and vertical axes between the Euros and the Yanks? The graph makes it look like the big difference economic, but the Euros are also lower on the social scale.

...whilst you Europeans are all clustered in the bottom left quadrant.

True, but none of European "rightwinger" I know have taken the test yet.

[Banquo's Ghost]

...but the Euros are also lower on the social scale.

Speak for yourself, old fruit.

[Marcellus]

Your political compass:

Economic Left/Right: -1.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.95