authoritarian/libertarian-left/right spectrum test

[Dystopia]

The Liberals V Conservatives reference is not used in europe, since there are more than 2 parties in most countries. It's mostly 'left wingers' vs 'right wingers', and in any of those sides there are several parties. For instance, left wing parties are usually a center left (AKA socialist party, even though they are not pure socialists so the label is incorrect), a more lefty and a far left (communist party), and between the same side there are arguments and divergences, socialists dislike commies because they take it to the extreme, commies dislike socialists (center left) because they seem them as 'communists without balls'. In the right there's usually a center right (more or less the same as the democratic party of the USA), social democrats and stuff, and then a people's party, usually the conservatives (not only Christian democrats as we call them here, but also right wing conservatives who are not religious). In some countries there are far right parties, the nationalist ones, everyone knows they have a fascist agenda. Unlike the US conservative party they want to increase government invervention to leave everything submitted to the nation (where did we hear that in history books?)

I think that what you're missing here is that the results are not intended to score you relative to any area's political systems, but rather to the range of possible answers. I think it's pretty clear to everyone that the political mean in Europe is left of center (relative to the chart) and the US is right of center (also relative to the chart).

I agree, but then again it's relative. If we compared the USA with a theocracy, the theocratic nation would be right wing and the US would be left wing compared to them (at least I hope so!). I think the easiest way to determine if you're right or left is to answer this question (at least in Europe it's an accurate question) - What's more important - Individual freedoms/rights or satisfying collective necessities? Answer individual rights for right wing ideology, collective necessities for left wing. In Europe we make the distinction like this, even though everyone knows both kind of parties satisfy both (you can't have one without the other), they just focus more on one of them.

[Minimalist]

There is no "free market." It is as illusory as any fucking god.

(And like god it is granted powers of all-goodness by its believers and whenever something goes to shit it is someone else's fault!)

[stonedape]

There is no "free market." It is as illusory as any fucking god.

(And like god it is granted powers of all-goodness by its believers and whenever something goes to shit it is someone else's fault!)

The problem with the "free market" is the unzip and trickle down practice, not building from the bottom up. This is very insulting to humanity.
Labor is seen as a resource, not a partnership. Don't you think everybody would work harder to run a better establishment if they had everything to gain by it's success.
If you could open a brewery by simply brewing your own beer. Or just paint the word TAXI on your car and start picking up fairs. Or drag your BBQ down to the beach to sell $2 hotdogs and $1 sodas. Then you could call it a free market. The police could bring the proper regulatory bodies down on your ass to inspect your set up and issue a business license.
What if teachers owned their schools and students had a choice of the school they'd go to. The schools would have to compete to attract students and the public financing that comes with them. This beats the dog shit out of our current system right?
If you don't like this idea, I have good news for you. Because it's never going to happen.

[KUSA]

[Minimalist]

The problem with the "free market" is the unzip and trickle down practice,

The problem with the "free market" is that business criminal assholes instantly begin manipulating it for their own benefit.

[Jackalope]

What's more important - Individual freedoms/rights or satisfying collective necessities? Answer individual rights for right wing ideology, collective necessities for left wing.

That's a gross oversimplification, don't you think?

I'll note further that is the purpose of this sort of test - to get away from the simplified left/right wing view and view things along a two-axis spectrum rather than as black/white.

[Isun]

It is also an inaccurate accessment of the differences between liberals and conservatives.


Conservatives don't believe in individual rights. Perfect example is their continual attacks against the rights of women. Another example is they have little problem with the government taking away their rights in support of security. Nor do they have a problem with trying to get between a citizen and their doctor. Nor do they have any problem trying to legislate what goes on in our private homes if it doesn't meet their christian sensibility.

Liberals are all for individual rights but they recognize that keeping our rights is tied to ensuring the rights and well being of everyone in this country.

[stonedape]

The problem with the "free market" is the unzip and trickle down practice,

The problem with the "free market" is that business criminal assholes instantly begin manipulating it for their own benefit.

It's not a free market if the market removes freedom.
Let's just say for instance, Oscar Mayer's decided their bologna was intellectual property. You would be legally prohibited from selling a bologna sandwich without signing a contract with them, rewarding them a %50 royalty. That's the effect of a "free market" balls deep in big government. If this sounds far fetched, it's not. This is standard practice with seed companies.

This is why free thinkers should be as offended by nihilism as they are religion. Humanity will never outlive the roaches without the pursuit of sustainable morality. We let sociopaths run the show and accept it as our best interest.

[Polaris]

Economic Left/Right: -8.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.49

Interesting, I consider myself a democratic socialist.

Same here, but I think this survey conflates Democratic Socialism with totalitarian socialism.

[Dystopia]

The problem with the "free market" is the unzip and trickle down practice,

The problem with the "free market" is that business criminal assholes instantly begin manipulating it for their own benefit.

I'd rather be controlled by corporation than by government owned economy, by far, the result is usually not nice.

And don't bring me the bullshit that the free market is evil, while it is true that it may suck in america that's because you people lack restrictions. Take the example of Norway or Sweden, or even the Netherlands, the market is a lot freer than in America contrary to what people may believe. I remember seeing a graph showing that in Norway, the so called socialist country, only 10 or 5% of property is government owned. So yeah the free market works, it just depends on what you consider free. Not free, fuck the rest of the world capitalism

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What's more important - Individual freedoms/rights or satisfying collective necessities? Answer individual rights for right wing ideology, collective necessities for left wing.

That's a gross oversimplification, don't you think?

I'll note further that is the purpose of this sort of test - to get away from the simplified left/right wing view and view things along a two-axis spectrum rather than as black/white.

I'd also like to not that in Europe being right wing or left wing doesn't equate with Conservatism V Liberalism. In fact, you could be right wing and be a liberal because you are a free market fanatic, but still are socially liberal. In my opinion the designation 'right wing liberal' would fit appropriately, in fact I call myself a 'right wing moderate liberal' as a label.