I Vote for the Left And Down A Bit party

[major_clanger]

So, where do I stand politically?

I tried the Political Compass online test and came out as:

Economic Left/Right: -2.00
Authoritarian/Libertarian: -4.51

...which apparently means that the UK politician I most identify with is Simon Hughes, I am the Anti Jack Straw, and I am about as far as it is possible to be from Iain Duncan Smith. Which is a relief.

It is a bit scary to be described as a libertarian, although at least I seem to come out as a 'social libertarian' rather than a capital-L Libertarian right-winger. I would be interested to see the degree of scatter on this test (i.e. how big and fuzzy the blob on the L/R vs A/L chart is in my case) as it felt like I was giving some very inconsistent answers in places. In particular, I'm a but surprised at how libertarian I came out - I suppose my very liberal views on personal behaviour overcame my sometimes authoritarian views on social responsibility.

Comments

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

For me

Economic Left/Right: -0.75
Authoritarian/Libertarian: -4.31

The economic balance seems right, but like you I'm suspicious about the libertarian slant. I think its because the questions lead you to an ideal as to how a society ought to be, not how it is. Questions about pragmatic issues of social conscience, courtesy and condsideration to others would soon have me drafting laws to stop people annoying each other. Sod personal freedoms if we can cut down noise pollution and drunken assaults.

At least it justifies my wasting my vote on the Lib-Dems every time.

[pmcray.livejournal.com]

I also came out as a libertarian despite the fact that anyone who knows me knows that I am a Stalinist. I'm suspicious that the test might be biased towards giving a certain result. Certainly some of the questions seemed to me to rather leading.

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Economic Left/Right: -3.25
Authoritarian/Libertarian: -6.36

I suspect that it is skewed somewhat as I'll admit to having libertarian leanings, I think this is a little too much. I also suspect that economically I am in reality more to the Right than that.

Anybody who knows me would not place me as half way between Simon Hughes and Ken Livingstone. My mother would be aghast!

Re:

[pmcray.livejournal.com]

Is anyone known to have come out as anything other than a libertarian?

[daveon.livejournal.com]

That might just be a selection effect :-)

[daveon.livejournal.com]

I tried answering the questions in the way my Dad would have and managed to end up slap bang in the middle of Ian Duncan Smith et al.

So perhaps it does work.

Re:

[pmcray.livejournal.com]

I'll try it again tonight and see if I come out with a similar score to Saturday. I object to being labelled a libertarian!

Re:

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Statist! :-p

Re:

[pmcray.livejournal.com]

And proud of it.

[ang-grrr.livejournal.com]

I'm almost the twin of Tony Benn.

I can live with that. I'll have to look back and discover how I did last time I took it, I'm sure I was't that far to the left.

[daveon.livejournal.com]

> It is a bit scary to be described as a libertarian, although at least I seem to come out as a 'social libertarian' rather than a capital-L Libertarian right-winger.

Remember though, there is nothing wrong with being a libertarian in the context to which I think they are using it, ie. a liberal with strong views on the impportance of the rights of the individual in a sensible framework.

The problem with most American hard line LIBERTARIANS is they seem to assume that liberal is equivalent to scum sucking commie bastard and that Objectivists are just right thinking people.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

I am Ken Livingstone!

Having just had a very pleasurable cycle ride through the congestion charging zone in London, I suppose that makes sense :-)

I refuse to quote numbers to the meaningless precision of two decimal places, but I'm a ll (libertarian leftie, left and down a lot :-)

[busarewski.livejournal.com]

I'm a Swede.. and I'm such a leftie that non of your politicians can represent me... very amusing as I'm not THAT left-ish (?) here... -8.0 left/ and-8.25 libertarian.. I would have thought I'd be more authoritarian..

Interesting test anyway, thanks for pointing it out