THE POLITICAL
SPECTRUM
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?
ARE YOU LEFT,
RIGHT OR MODERATE?
LEFT OF MODERATE
Liberal – (Left)
• Government should play a big role in “social
reform” and well-being.
– Focus on issues such as poverty, education, and
environment
• Favor change; sometimes called “progressive”
Examples: Democrats, Green Party
RIGHT OF MODERATE
Conservative (Right Wing)
• Government should stay out of the lives of
citizens and businesses.
• Exception: Moral issues/”family values”
– Example: Abortion, Gay Marriage
•
•
•
•
Favor status quo
Resistant to change
Want to work within system
Examples: Republican, Reform
MODERATE
Moderate (Middle)
• Opinions fall between left and right
• Tolerant of multiple view points
• Not extreme about issues
Example: Independent, Undeclared
Far Left
Radical (Far Left)…
• Favor fundamental changes
• Want to reverse the domination of the
wealthy over poor
• Often support highly centralized government
• Want a total overhaul of the system
Example: Communist
Far Right
Reactionary (Far Right)
• Advocate return to a historical system.
• Very traditional views on who should have power.
• Often very religious, moralistic and/or
ideological.
• Will use extreme measures (such as violence) to
reinforce laws power.
Examples: Dictatorships, Absolute Monarchies,
Oligarchies (e.g. Taliban)
TAKE A MOMENT TO
APPLY THIS NEW IDEA…
• Imagine that your house is a country and your
parents are the leaders. What type of leaders are
they?
–
–
–
–
–
Radical
Liberal
Moderate
Conservative
Reactionary
• Explain your choice in one sentence. Then…
share your response with a neighbor.
 CHANGE



PROBLEMS
CIRCUMSTANTIAL
GOV’T RESPONSIBLE FOR
CHANGE
EQUALITY AND FAIRNESS!

VALUES ARE “RELATIVE”

HUMAN RIGHTS
TRADITION 
PROBLEMS ARE
INDIVIDUAL
GOVERNMENT SHOULD
GET OUT OF THE WAY
PERSONAL FREEDOMS,
ESPECIALLY ECONOMIC
PROPERTY RIGHTS




MORAL ABSOLUTES 
DRAW IT…
The next few slides show different sides of
important issues. Make a two column table and
draw symbols that represent positions on each
side of the political spectrum.
Liberal/Left
Conservative/Right
(Pro-environment)
(Pro-business)
MORALITY/IDEOLOGIES…
CHANGE
TRADITION
PRO-CHOICE
PRO-LIFE
GAY MARRIAGE
HETEROSEXUAL
MARRIAGE ONLY,
“FAMILY VALUES”
FREEDOM OF
SPEECH AT ALL
COSTS
FREEDOM OF
SPEECH WITH
LIMITS
PROBLEMS IN SOCIETY
CIRCUMSTANTIAL
INDIVIDUAL
WELFARE
PROGRAMS
LIMITS ON
WELFARE
HEALTH CARE
FOR EVERYONE
PRIVATE HEALTH
CARE
DRUG
REHABILITATION
PROGRAMS
TOUGH ON
CRIME
ROLE OF GOVERNMENT
GOV’T
RESPONSIBLE FOR
SOCIAL REFORM
GOV’T SHOULD
BE LESS INVOLVED
MORE
EDUCATION
FUNDING
SCHOOL CHOICE
PROGRAMS AND
CHARTER
SCHOOLS
ASSISTANCE
PROGRMAS FOR
POOR AND
MINORITIES
ENCOURAGE
CHARITY AND
PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
DE-REGULATION
RIGHTS
HUMAN
RIGHTS
PROPERTY
RIGHTS
ENVIRONMENT
PRO-BUSINESS
ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS
TAX CUTS
CRIME
PREVENTION AND
REHIBILITATION
TOUGH ON
CRIME; DEATH
PENALTY
Think-Pair-Share
Which side (liberal or conservative) would be
most likely to send their country to war? Why
do you think that?
• Think about your answer
• Pair up with a neighbor
• Share your responses
The train station analogy…
• Rex Tugwell, an advisor to president
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), said that
different attitudes toward change
characterize different political
philosophies. He wrote that if a
community needed a new train
station (or education reform, crime
control, etc.)…
Fill in the blank with: radical, liberal,
conservative, or reactionary
“__________ would rebuild the station while
the trains are still running,
__________ prefer to blow up the train station
and forgo service until the new structure is built,
__________ would prefer to keep the old
station, being satisfied with it, while
__________ would abandon the station entirely
since they do not approve of trains in the first
place.”
REFLECTION
Finish the following thoughts:
•
•
•
•
I agree that...
What I learned made me think of…
I feel… about what I learned today.
I am still wondering…
Other Resources…
• http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgo
vernmentandlaw/politicalbeliefs/preview.wem
l
• http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservati
ve-vs-liberal-beliefs/