Testing Your Ideology
By BJ
Via TMV, I came across this site called The Political Compass for testing one's political leanings across both the economic and social axes. Definitely one of the better sites I've seen of this type. My own scores are:
Economic Left/Right: -1.79
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.71
Bouncing around some of the other pages on the site, I found that the Canadian political party closest to my own views would be the separatist Bloc Quebecois, which is kind of a chuckle. The placement of the US Presidential candidates aren't much of a surprise, but does explain why a lot of lefties are having some problems with Obama these days.
Anyway, take the test, and post your results if you're of mind to. I admit to being curious.
You direct me to a site that requires a $15 membership and wants my name, address, e-mail and telephone number for purposes they never address. Thanks a lot.
Posted by: Terry | July 06, 2008 at 06:10 PM
I'm in Gandhi/ Dali Lama land.
Econ l/r -7.62
Social L/A -5.33
Posted by: cheflovesbeer | July 06, 2008 at 06:25 PM
Terry, what are you talking about? None of the sites I linked to ask that.
chef, try and stay humble for the rest of us, though I think the original post over at TMV held that if you were over 7.5 on any of the scales you could be considered an extremist of sorts.
Posted by: BJ Bjornson | July 06, 2008 at 06:37 PM
I'm another one in Ghandi Land.. Left/Right -6 & Social Libertarian/Authoritarian -5.08
Posted by: Paul S, | July 06, 2008 at 07:46 PM
Economic Left/Right: -6.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.82
I skipped past Ghandi Land and went straight for the Dali Lama World
Posted by: adhocheretic | July 06, 2008 at 09:55 PM
I'm -7.38 left/right, and -6.82 liberal/authoritarian. I don't remember seeing the
Dalai Lama but I'm considerably south of Ghandi. What a shock to see where all the presidential candidates wound up. Of course I'm having problems with them!!
Posted by: Dixie | July 06, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Sure I'll play. They've modified the test since the last time I took it. The questions are better. I'm just about sitting in the Dalai Lama's lap.
Economic Left/Right: -5.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.62
Posted by: Libby | July 06, 2008 at 10:41 PM
Do you think there's a way to track results based on the page that linked to the compass? It'd be interesting to see which sides have which types of (aggregate) readers.
I know there are studies which measure how insular/incestuous/collaborative the linking between blogs can be, and also for amazons book list, but is there a ranking of a (apparently) objective third party ideological test like the compass that can be tracked site-to-site?
Posted by: adhocheretic | July 06, 2008 at 11:37 PM
I personally think this two-dimensional model is still incomplete. We need a third dimension -- foreign policy. Most people who describe Hitler as far Right are not referring to his economic policies or even his extreme (domestic) authoritarianism, but his extreme, rabid nationalism. Any scale that out is, IMO, incomplete.
Posted by: Enlightened Layperson | July 07, 2008 at 12:50 AM
I'm another one in Dalai Lama land:
Economic Left/Right: -7.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -6.41
I have to admit that rather freaked me out.
Posted by: Bill H. | July 07, 2008 at 01:20 AM
ON beyond Ghandi!
Economic Left/Right: -6.62
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.74
Posted by: pwapvt | July 07, 2008 at 07:21 AM
Economic Left/Right: -8.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.28
Heh. Farther left than anyone who's commented so far!
Neenerneenerneeeeeennner.
Posted by: ddjango | July 07, 2008 at 09:24 AM
I'll play. I did this the other day and came up with
Economic Left/Right: -8.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.69
Guess I'm edging off the corner there.
Posted by: janinsanfran | July 07, 2008 at 09:34 AM
Economic L/R: -8.38
Social Lib/Auth: -6.26
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Unity and Victory to the Heroic Iraqi Resistance !!
Everyone has a part to play ... Rome wasn't burnt in a Day !!
Posted by: Bl4ckP0pe | July 07, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Bloody radicals the lot of yous! The part of me that used to support the Reform Party is weeping right now.
Adhocheretic – I don’t know of a way to do what you’re asking, though I’d be highly interested if there was. Readership here seems to be clustered around the bottom left corner. TMV put up a chart of reader results that showed a far larger swing along economic lines but mostly south of the authoritarian line. Ask other sites to do the same and you might be able to find out some patterns.
EL – the lack of foreign policy is an issue, but there were questions regarding nationalism and the like. How you feel about other cultures, protectionism, and taking pride in your country. I believe that leads to a greater authoritarian score.
Posted by: BJ Bjornson | July 07, 2008 at 12:55 PM
LOL BJ. I wasn't going to mention that the outlier in this little poll is you....
Posted by: Libby | July 07, 2008 at 01:38 PM
PS: display of poll graph results is numerologically biased - it must be reversed so greedy authoritarians like Maggie, Hitler, Bush and their extremist offspring are shoved where they should be, in the all-negative quadrant of spectrum, whereas I am naturally all positive ";0))
Posted by: Bl4ckP0pe | July 07, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Well, looking at the scores above, call me Maggie. Econ Left -3.88; Social Libertarian -5.03.
Posted by: Wendell | July 07, 2008 at 02:35 PM