Politically Progressive Section

[Violet]

Why didnt she understand "Authoritarian", yet speak of Stalin in the same post? Methinks she is trying to test me.

Don't worry, I'm not nearly sneaky enough to pull that sort of thing off My view on what is 'authoritarian' is broader than most peoples (as my view on what is liberal is much more narrow). I agree that authoritarianism as most people mean the term is in reference to a strongly concentrated dictatorship. When I suggest that authoritarianism is inescapable for any government, i am stating this because the moment one establishes they they can make a law (and defend their law): they have become authoritarian (in at least a minor respect)

Granted... I am also attempting to test both your beliefs and mine

Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is opposed to individualism and democracy. In politics, an authoritarian government is one in which political power is concentrated in a leader or leaders, typically unelected by the people, who possess exclusive, unaccountable, and arbitrary power. Authoritarianism differs from totalitarianism in that social and economic institutions exist that are not under the government's control

Interesting, I appear to be an authoritarian (not totalitarian) socialist.

Authoritarianism is characterized by highly concentrated, and centralized power maintained by political repression and the exclusion of potential challengers. It uses political parties and mass organizations to mobilize people around the goals of the state.[3]

It is a mistake to think it is necessarily characterized as so. It often begins without a ton of political repression and exclusion of potential challengers... but at some point the ruler realizes that he/she cannot maintain their power base when people won't perform according to their orders.

Authoritarianism emphases the rule of man over the rule of law, it includes election rigging, political decisions being made by a select group of unelected officials behind closed doors, a bureaucracy that operates independently of rules, which does not properly supervise elected officials, and fails to serve the concerns of the constituencies they purportedly serve. Authoritarianism also embraces the informal and unregulated exercise of political power, a leadership that is "self-appointed and even if elected cannot be displaced by citizens' free choice among competitors," the arbitrary deprivation of civil liberties, and little tolerance for meaningful opposition

The problem i have with laws is that they are made poorly. Murder *can* be an adequate response, as can theft, and any number of things not called rape or torture (I still cannot find a use for it, believe me: I've tried hard to think of something beneficial that can come of it that outright torture doesn't do better in every category, and the people have no excuse to torture unless they are working for the government in the first place). Instead of outright banning things in their entirety, ban what is actually 'broken'.

I would be less favoring of an authoritarian government if people understood how to write and handle law in the first place

[Autumnlicious]

No, Progressives are Captialists who oppose aggresive corporatism, or corporatism in general, specifically the union between the corrupt politician and the corrupt corporation. Progressives are NOT socialists, they are what I like to call "soft capitalists", meaning that they frown upon the "cut throat capitalism" where people make profit from ruining the lives of others. I would go so far as to say most Progressives do not consider clean water, basic food, basic education, and basic shelter to be Capitalised.

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In other words, Progressives stand strong for a basic "survival net" for society to keep it from regressing to past social systems such as Feudalism, Slavery, and Serfism. Progressives want a profit motive to keep good ideas flowing, but do not consider it the end all be all of society. Progressives will say "workers of the world, unite!" but do so under the banner of Capitalism, not Communism. Progressive are socially anti-authoritarian, and economically moderate left.

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Then I am a Progressive.

[theVOID]

You want to post some political quiz results for us Jerry, give this a visual perspective.

http://www.quiz2d.com/

[reverendjeremiah]

Great Test Void. There was one or two things on it that I had to think about that I had never heard before, but I think this test was pretty good for its size and time.

Then I am a Progressive.

Then Welcome to the Progressive banner my brother. Void, our Libertarian friend, has just posted a great link to a really quick and easy visual political test. Here is the link:

http://www.quiz2d.com/

Try it out and see how you fare.

I am sure you have noticed that my views on 2nd amendment go the OPPOSITE way that most of us tend to go. But hey, thats how it happens sometimes. You might be against assualt rifles, but I think I should have an assault rifle, full auto, with no need for registration. Look at my graph. I loaded that info in and still hit mod left..which is what I expected to begin with, never cared for extremism, which is why Im a Progressive and not a Democratic Socialist or a flat out Socialist.

[Violet]

Way too few questions, way too specific examples.

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I am sure you have noticed that my views on 2nd amendment go the OPPOSITE way that most of us tend to go. But hey, thats how it happens sometimes. You might be against assualt rifles, but I think I should have an assault rifle, full auto, with no need for registration. Look at my graph. I loaded that info in and still hit mod left..which is what I expected to begin with, never cared for extremism, which is why Im a Progressive and not a Democratic Socialist or a flat out Socialist.

Wait, you mean there are people that think we *shouldn't* have a full auto assault rifle? 0.o I'm fine with registering it though.

[reverendjeremiah]

You got it Sae

[Violet]

I can see that me and you will clash ever so slightly on economics. More personal freedom I tend to not mind as much. You and Void and Adrian should get along great.

You'll notice that I am on the side of next to no economic freedoms? Edit: disregard all of this, i fail at reading charts

Void will probably be straight up near the top of that chart, and adrian somewhere over on far right

We really wouldn't be getting along very well when it comes to economics... infact you are closer to hyper-conservatism than I am (By like a millimeter or two)

[Autumnlicious]

[theVOID]

Void will probably be straight up near the top of that chart, and adrian somewhere over on far right

Yep, but I doubt Adrian would score much differently.

[reverendjeremiah]

Damn..that was an obvious big mistake for me with Adrian...Seeing that I already figured you two were damn near the same. I think I posted that at 3 am and half asleep.

Moros, you are right in the ball park for Progressives, you lean a bit more authortarian than I do.