Political spectrum

A political spectrum is a way of comparing or visualizing different political positions, by placing them upon one or more geometric axes.

Multi-axis models

A one-axis model is highly over-simplified, and lumps together fairly different political propositions; in particular, as seen before, there are many ways to define the left-right spectrum, which do not yield the same classifications.

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Several of the political philosophies that have arisen over the past two centuries do not fit on the one-dimensional left/right line, in particular anarchism and libertarianism. Anarchism is assumed to be "left", while Libertarianism is assumed to be "right". However, on the one-dimensional spectrum, anarchism shares almost the same position as various forms of Marxism, which is obviously inappropriate. Anarchism implies the rejection of government and societal control (as well as private property), while Leninism and other forms of Marxism imply the control by society of many activities. At the other end of the left/right line, Libertarianism finds itself in the same position as fascism, which is equally inappropriate.

Related Topics:
Anarchism - Libertarianism - Marxism - Leninism - Fascism

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In order to address these problems, a number of proposals have been made for a two-axis system, which combines two models of the political spectrum as axes. Sometimes these systems are constructed for the specific purpose of placing one political group in a particular position, and associating it with motherhood values, (values with 100% positive connonations). These charts are academic in origin, but are not widely used in political science.

Related Topics:
Motherhood values - Political science

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Eysenck Model

The first person to devise such a two-axis system was Hans Eysenck in his 1964 book "Sense and Nonsense in Psychology." Starting with the traditional "left-right" spectrum Eysenck added a vertical axis that considered "tough-mindedness" (authoritarian tendencies) and "tender-mindedness" (democratic tendencies). The effect of this new axis is that those who have very different views with regard to authority, but have the same "left-right" view (people like Stalin and Noam Chomsky), can be distinguished.

Related Topics:
Hans Eysenck - Authoritarian - Democratic - Stalin - Noam Chomsky

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Nolan Chart

Main article: Nolan chart

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A second chart is the Nolan Chart, created by libertarian David Nolan. This chart shows what he considers as "economic freedom" (issues like taxation, free trade and free enterprise) on the x axis and what he considers as "personal freedom" (issues like drug legalization, abortion and the draft) on the y axis. This puts left-wingers in the left quadrant, libertarians in the top, right-wingers in the right, and authoritarianism and communitarians (whom Nolan originally named populists) in the bottom.

Related Topics:
Nolan Chart - David Nolan - Drug legalization - Abortion - Draft - Left-winger - Libertarian - Right-winger - Authoritarianism - Communitarians - Populists

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The traditional left-right spectrum forms a diagonal across the Nolan Chart, with communism and fascism both in the ultra-populist corner, an assignment hotly disputed by more liberal-minded communists who do not advocate state control over matters of "personal freedom".

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The Nolan Chart has been reoriented and visually represented in many forms since David Nolan first created it, and has been the inspiration for an endless array of political self-quizzes, perhaps the most famous of these being the World's Smallest Political Quiz, which places one on the Nolan Chart.

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Political Compass

Largely following the Eysenck method, the model used by the Political Compass Organization has economic issues on the horizontal axis and issues of freedom on the vertical axis. Possibly the most popular and well-known online political quiz, it asks a wide-range of questions before placing you on a chart.

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Pournelle Chart

Main article: Pournelle Chart

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A third, very different, two axis model was created by Jerry Pournelle. The Pournelle Chart has liberty (a dimension similar to the diagonal of the Nolan chart, with those on the left seeking liberty and those on the right focusing control, farthest right being state worship, farthest left being the idea of a state as the "ultimate evil") perpendicular to Rationalism, defined here as the belief in planned social progress, with those higher up believing that there are problems with society that can be rationally solved, and those lower down skeptical of such approaches.

Related Topics:
Jerry Pournelle - Pournelle Chart - Liberty - Rationalism

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Other models

In its January 2, 2003 issue, The Economist introduced a chart to plot cultural ideology onto two dimensions. On the y-axis it covered issues of tradition and religion, like patriotism, abortion, euthanasia and the importance of obeying the law and authority figures. At the bottom of the chart is the traditionalist position on issues like these (with loyalty to country and family and respect for life considered important), while at the top is the secular position. The x-axis deals with self-expression, issues like everyday conduct and dress, acceptance of diversity and innovation, and attitudes towards people with specific controversial lifestyles such as homosexuality and vegetarianism. At the right of the chart is the open self-expressionist position, while at the left is its opposite position, which The Economist calls survivalist. This chart not only has the power to map the values of individuals, but also to compare the values of people in different countries. Placed on this chart, EU countries in continental Europe come out on the top right, Anglophone and Latin American countries on the bottom right, African, Middle Eastern and South Asian countries on the bottom left, and ex-Communist countries on the top left.

Related Topics:
January 2 - 2003 - The Economist - Patriotism - Abortion - Euthanasia - Obeying - Diversity - Innovation - Homosexuality - Vegetarianism - EU

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In addition to the distinctions between different types of "control" on many of these spectra, there is no clear way to locate philosophies such as feminism or environmentalism, even using a two-axis spectrum. Additional dimensions would be required to accommodate them, and that would make the model far too complex to be of any use.

Related Topics:
Feminism - Environmentalism

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As an example, there are even some three axis models, both based on the Nolan Chart. The Friesian Institute has suggested a model that combines the economic liberty and personal liberty axes with positive liberty, creating a cube. The Vosem Chart splits the economic axis of the Nolan chart into two axes, corporate economics and individual economics, which combine with the civil liberty axis to form a cube.

Related Topics:
Friesian Institute - Positive liberty

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