The Political
Spectrum
Chapter 5: “Political Parties”
www.politicalcompass.org
What famous historical
figure do you share a
spot on the political
spectrum with?
First off, let us understand the TRUE
meaning of the term LIBERAL
* Liberal in the CLASSICAL
sense of the word =
“hands-off” *
* George Washington’s
“liberal democracy” – 1790
* America today…
LIBERTARIANISM!
Just kidding.
What are the problems with this linear
representation of political philosophy?
Stalin, Mao and…
Gandhi?
Pinochet and…
Rand?
Democrats?
Republicans?
By adding a social dimension
you can show the differences
between Stalin, Gandhi and
Democrats; Pinochet, Rand and
Republicans!
(y axis)
Complete Economic and
Social regulation.
Complete Economic regulation,
complete Social freedom.
Complete Economic freedom,
complete Social regulation.
Complete Economic
and Social freedom.
First, let’s look at the
economic scale (x axis)!
* Communism (LEFT) and
Liberalism (RIGHT) *
Economic Issues
Left (Communism)
Right (Liberalism)
 Planned/regulated markets
 Free and open markets
 High (or absolute) taxation
 Free/open trade
 Limits on prop. ownership
Limited or no taxation
 Collectivization
 Private Property
Next, let’s look at the
social scale (y axis)!
* Authoritarianism (top)
and Libertarianism
(bottom) *
Social Issues
Authoritarianism (Fascism)
 Compulsory military service
 Regulated ind. behavior, social issues
 Censorship (speech/media)
Libertarianism (Anarchism)
 No (or very small) standing army
 Un-regulated behavior, social issues
 Free speech and media
Josef Stalin, the
USSR and
“Stalinism”
Stalinist policies in the Soviet Union included:
* Socialism
* Centralized state
* Collectivization of agriculture, industry and manufacturing
* Subordination of interests
Noam Chomsky and
“Libertarian Socialism”
* Anti-Capitalism
* Anti-Authoritarianism
* OPPOSED to the ‘state’
* Strong advocates for CIVIL LIBERTIES,
IND. FREEDOM
* SPAIN – before WWII…
Augusto Pinochet and
his Chilean Presidency…
After Pinochet took control of the Chilean
government:
* Cut tariffs (free-trade) to promote global trade
* Restricted labor unions…
* Privatized social security…
* Privatized hundreds of state-controlled industries…
Ayn Rand and
“Objectivism”
* Objectivists believe government is
both legitimate and critically
important in order to protect
individual rights…
“…the police, to protect men from criminals – the armed
services, to protect men from foreign invaders – the law
courts, to settle disputes among men according to
objectively defined laws…"
Where do we typically
designate European
countries on the
political spectrum?
American Politics:
REMEMBER, this shows
the WHOLE spectrum of
political thought. NOT
just the national average!