Test Your Ideology – Part 2
As a follow up to Patrick’s previous post, I thought I’d post the graphical representation of the Political Compass scores of the first ten people to respond to Patrick’s post. As I explained in my response to Patrick’s post, I personally feel that Political Compass is a highly subjective tool that suffers from a number of limitations and that the results are somewhat misleading. However, what numerical data we’ve obtained might as well be displayed in graphical form.
For purposes of space, I’ve abbreviated each members name to just the first three letters/numbers. Should more people reply to Patrick’s post (or my own), I’ll be sure to update the graphic above.
UPDATE: The original graphic has been altered to incorporate additional scores obtained since this article was posted.
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14 Responses to “Test Your Ideology – Part 2”
While the tool may have some issues, as anything of this nature inevitably will, I find it one heck of a lot more accurate and useful than any description along a one dimensional left-right spectrum.
I took this test when I started my blog more that two years ago, and actually used the results in my blogger profile image. I thought it would be interesting to see if I got a different result now vs two years ago.
MW – 2006 => Moderate Libertarian Right
Economic Left/Right: 2.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.26
MW – 2008 => More Libertarian More Right
Economic Left/Right: 4.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.03
Economic Left/Right: 1.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.77
DWSUWF,
I too have had a subtle change since I initially took this test about 4 or 5 years ago. My economic score has shift from -0.5 to +0.75 while my social score has shifted from -3.5 to -4.05. It may reflect a subtle libertarian drift that has occurred as I grow more cynical of those in power. Then again, it may merely reflect my interpreting the questions differently now than I did 4 or 5 years ago.
Also, great blog, DWSUWF. I've had it bookmarked on my blog for quite some time now.
February 11, 2006:
Economic Left/Right: -2.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.72
July 6, 2008
Economic Left/Right: -0.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.92
And Libertarian-Leaning Liberal over at VoteMatch. Hillary and Cynthia McKinney tied for the social score, Obama was closest to my economic score, and Obama was the choice for a combined score. I'm a “Left-leaning Freedom Lover” over at Quiz2d.
Interesting how the social aspect didn't change much, but the economic did. I think spending so much time looking up Libertarian Party candidates and watching the LP convention rubbed off on me.
i actually scored as a libertarian/centrist on the weighted quiz2d.com that nicrivera linked to in patrick's previous post.
and i agree with nic — i think the weight given each “issue” matters quite a bit, and that the reasons for gov't regulation, etc, depend much more (for myself, anyway) on the particular context. a test comprised of “yea” or “nay” just doesn't allow for the requisite nuance. to co-opt some of nic's terminology, i think a fair view of my own politics would have me described as a “Left Libertarian”.
Economic Left/Right: 1.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -3.13
I took that test last year and was where Yar is on the board. maybe alittle more left and libertarian then the person
I remember seeing this graph with all the major presidential contenders in it, all of them were in the Blue Quadrant except for Kucinich who was in the Green Quadrant.
Interesting that not one person here (yet) has had a positive score in the Social Libertarian/Authoritarian section.
Well, technically, Neocon has a social Libertarian/Authoritarian score of + 0.11, placing him/her just a smidgeon towards the authoritarian end of Social Libertarian/Authoritarian axis.
Conversely, I'm rather surprised as to how low I score I scored along the social Libertarian/Authoritarian axis in relation to other TMVers. With a 95% social score on the test at quiz2d.com, it's difficult to imagine how much more Libertarian I could be with regards to social issues. I suspect it might have to do with the incorpation of so many “social issue” questions that weren't really political in nature. On a number of those questions, I failed to answer strongly one way or the other by virtue of the fact that I don't think government should be involved in in the first place.
Nick,
Good graphics always seem to make an idea, study or individual opinions easier to grasp / compare… Thanks for putting all our individual scores in context.
Maybe after the weekend our right leaning contributors will join in and post their results, too.
Nick,
Thanks for the kind words. I gotta say I am getting a little nervous about being the right most dot on that graph. Unexpected. I now must reverse my earlier position and say that I don't have any confidence in this test.
Now, HERE is a real test. Find out which school of Economics you subscribe to. Are you a Socialist, Keynesian, Chicago School (Milton Friedman) or Austrian School (Ludwig Von Mises)?
Warning. Don't even click on the link unless you are in a relaxed state of mind, with a cup of coffee and an hour to kill. It'll take that long just to read the questions. I never got through the 25 question version, but took the shortened 10 question quiz. My score was 67/100 which puts me somewhere between the Chicago School (50) and Austrian School (100) of Economics.
Ok. Here is one more test.
This one is kind of dated, but it is still important for everyone to know if they are a closet Neocon. Last time I took this test I was a Realist. Now it tells me I am a foreign policy Liberal. Go figger.
DWSUWF – Right Leaning Chicago School Liberal Libertarian.
Believe the US should not act as a global cop
Desire to preserve what they see as America's national identity and character
Oppose American imperialism
Support international law, alliances, and agreements
Encourage US participation in the UN
Are wary of US involvement in the United Nations
Believe US power is crucial to successful diplomacy – and vice versa
# Believe strong alliances are important to US interests
Weigh the political costs of foreign action
Want the US to be the world's unchallenged superpower
Seek to democratize the Arab world
Of all those there are some in each category that I strongly agree with…….these are the ones that I agree with most strongly.
If I had to choose one I would support the Realist version of foreign policy. Which I believe GW Senior, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton strongly adhered too as well.