General Chat

... political parties? Hayley, this is for you! And anybody else who can't figure out why there doesn't seem to be anybody worth voting for. ;)

This is a handy 'test' for finding where you sit on the 'political spectrum' -- and what party (if any!) might be best for you. Also, for seeing how closely your views and values match up with, say, the Dalai Lama ... or Adolph Hitler ...

http://www.politicalcompass.org

The excellent thing about it is that it was developed in the UK and designed for anybody anywhere -- it doesn't get all confused with the strange ideas they have in the US about 'liberal' and 'conservative'.

Instead of trying to place you on a one-dimensional 'left-right' line, it looks at two different aspects of political views and values, and plots your position on a graph with two axes.

The thing to do is read the short introduction at the link above, and then do the quiz. Do that first before browsing around the site. There will be an explanation of your results once you're done. (Be sure to make a note of your results - and you can copy the graph picture into an email and send it to yourself, or print it, for instance.)

Then you can read on -- see where you stand in comparison to the political parties in the UK -- and the US, Canada, Australia, etc., -- in case you want to emigrate when you're done. ;) And how you compare to famous composers and historical figures, and so on.

The results may explain why you're having a hard time figuring out what the parties actually stand for, and which one to vote for!

If we post our results here, it can also help explain why some people never do, and never will, agree with others about much of anything. On the other hand, it can also show where you might have common ground with somebody else that might surprise you and might give you a fresh perspective.

I'll tell if you do. ;)

Just browsing the site again myself ...

A tidbit about why politics can be confusing.


"It's muddled thinking to simply describe the likes of the British National Party as 'extreme right'. The truth is that on issues like health, transport, housing, protectionism and globalisation, their economics are left of Labour, let alone the Conservatives. It's in areas like police power, military power, school discipline, law and order, race and nationalism that the BNP's real extremism - as authoritarians - is clear. "

Thank you Janey took me ages to do the quiz, I kept having to look up what the big words meant, and then have a good think about the question, I couldnt believe some of the questions they ask...thinking is this for real? Or it is about politics in Victorian days...anyway I got there in the end, now for the results well.... I'll send you apm...lol

ROFL so it's true what my friend always called me ;)

I AM a 'leftie liberal' lol ( note that's liberal with a small L )

Well, mine were soooo far adrift from any of the acceptable parties (are there any?? LOL) that it's no wonder I tend to be a floating voter.

Hayley - I can say it in the open? - "a dot in the green square". Of course the green square is where all decent right-thinking people belong. ;)

Once you've done the quiz (and only then for those who haven't), look at where the UK parties lie as compared to where you lie.

http://www.politicalcompass.org/extremeright

The first picture is where today's UK parties are.

The second picture is where UK parties have been at different times. What you'll see is how they have all moved up and to the right -- the Labour Party *used to be* in the green square (lower left), but it ain't any more.

I absolutely understand how many Brits feel politically homeless!

The only party now in the green square is, coincidentally, the Green Party. ;) But probably lefter and lower than many people here would be, even if they are in the green square.

They might feel at home in my party on the Canadian graph:

http://www.politicalcompass.org/canada2008

I don't, being lefter and lower than the UK Green Party, but it's all I've got. the Green Party in Canada is in fact right-wing and authoritarian. (I'm left-wing and libertarian, of course!)

(Oh, and Rose -- that's libertarian with a small "l" too! In the US, for instance, "Libertarian" is really a right-wing and quite authoritarian party.)

I am hanging about the bit where the labour party was in 1972/82 I " think"...

Funny thing this really as I felt very brave to brotch the suject wth mum, Mum is a lib which I thought she was labour and my dad was a shop steward which I never knew till today...think this going in to my FH notes..

Janey I am just a tiny fraction above the green party position on the graph...

Morning from a very disagreeable person. Think I must have disagreed lots and lots.

I tried to answer the questions "off the top of my head", first response. Then I found myself thinking about some of the answers.

If I did the quiz again in half an hour I am sure some of my responses would change.

And there was no option for "I couldn't care less", whatcha talking about", or "you've got to be joking".

Where do I sit. Hmmm

Economic Left/Right: -3.38
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.72

Eight squares up from the bottom, seven squares in from the left hand side in the green quadrant . Slightly below the centre on the left.

Sorry but I'm with the do gooders. And that is really weird!! Does this mean I need to start voting Green.

"Voter turnout is highest when ideological differences are most significant."

When Labour and the Conservatives in the UK are as close as they are on both aspects -- right-wing economically, and authoritarian -- it's no wonder so many people talk about not voting.

I can't find who said it first, but

"Don't vote -- it only encourages them!"

has a lot to be said for it sometimes.

In his youth, my No.1 was a Rhinoceros Party ... well, you can't say "activist", because that would be against all Rhinocerous Party principles. ;) I think it was our counterpart of the Monster Raving Loony Party?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/rhino-party/

"On Aug. 7, 2007, Satan — nee Brian (Godzilla) Salmi, president of Canada's Rhinoceros party — announced a $50-million lawsuit contesting an election reform law that stripped his party of its registered status in 1993. The suit is filed as Satan v. Her Majesty the Queen."

"Under Satan's leadership, the gratuitously absurd political party that promised, among other things, to repeal the law of gravity, pave Manitoba and move Toronto and Montreal closer together, is trying to horn its way back into the country's political scene."

Well let's have some numbers then!

Me:

Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -8.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -8.31


Imagine calling such good things negative numbers. ;)

I'm not a full -10
-- partly because I don't care "strongly" about a few "libertarian" values (I don't think yer basic pornography should be illegal, but it's not something I devote emotional energy to)
-- partly because I'm not a complete communist economically, heh.

Economic Left/Right: -5.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.18

I know there are areas where I might have gone for a 'neither agree nor disagree' option had it been there lol...that is mainly in areas where I feel there is a significant amount of 'grey' in between the black and white, and I allowed for those areas in my answer.

Hayley, from what I see, that's a common problem -- a lot of regular people are where the Labour Party was in 1972-82 -- and the Labour Party has officially abandoned them.

There are still factions in the Labour Party that I'd support fairly happily, but the party itself just decided to out-Thatcher Thatcher.

Much as I'd hate to desert the party with such a great and honourable history, I might find myself voting Liberal Democrat. Not that I'd want to, just that I don't like not voting -- unless I lived in a riding where a Green had a hope of winning, I guess.

Well it looks like I'm a bit more authoritarian than you tree huggers. One has to keep the multitude in a little order.

I'm about where Ghandi is. That's not too bad.

Have you clicked on the iconochasms on the left hand side, another quiz there. Thank goodness Mozart just about mirrors my answers. Wouldn't like to be at odds with my favourite composer.

Heh.

I thought the Ichonochasms was just there to make me feel stupid. ;)

I have no idea about my numbers....after posting my thread yesterday and was alarmed that I swaying towards blue does this mean I am turning into a greedy snob? Or a hard working greedy snob , or just someone who thinks she should be the one who enjoys the fruits of her labour....

This also came about today with a couple of young ens who felt it must of been great in the 1980's I said actually it was pretty depressing time if you was froma working class family such as I...I didnt like Thatcher then so I am not going to start to idealise her now 27 years later,

Hmmm, Economic Left/Right: -3.50
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -0.26

In the same square as Ghandi, Nelson Mandela and The Dalai Lama :-))

Now I've always considered myself as a Green liberal....caught somewhere in the middle of everything....

I come out of it as a bit of a floating voter...how odd !!! LOL xx

Rambling Rose. I agree with the neutral option. I often found myself wavering between the lesser of the two evils.

Goes with the "can't make a decision" syndrome, don't it!!

Hey Janey. This is very unfair first thing in the morning. Not good to be woken up to discover one needs to discuss deep and meaningful philosophies on which even those who govern us can't agree.

Never ever would I class my self as a tree hugger....lol