The U.S.
Political Spectrum
Where do YOU stand?
DEMOCRAT
LIBERAL (“Left”)
REPUBLICAN
CONSERVATIVE (“Right)
The Political Spectrum
 A person’s views on the issues help
determine where they fall on the political
spectrum.
 The labels used on the spectrum are not
pure categories, but they make up a
continuum, or value line, and citizens and
politicians fall somewhere on that line
depending on what they believe.
The Factors that Shape Views
• Two (2) major factors shape political views:
1. The first is how much change a person is willing
to have within their society & government.
2. The second deals with how much government
involvement in the economy a person calls for.
• Other Factors:
• Family & up-bringing.
• Gender & Race, & Ethnicity.
• Religion.
• Region of the country.
Political Labels
• To see where you stand, you would have to figure
out where you stand on a number of:
• Social (people-related).
• Economic (money-related).
• and Political (governmental) issues.
• First you need definitions of the terms:
• Radical
• Reactionary.
• Liberal.
• Conservative.
• Some authors include the terms authoritarian
and libertarian.
What is a Radical?
• Seen as being on the far left of
the political spectrum, radicals call
for wide-sweeping rapid change in
the basic structure of the political,
social, or economic system.
• They may be willing to resort to
extreme methods to bring about
change, including the use of
violence and revolution.
V.I. Lenin:
Mastermind of the
Russian Revolution
and Father of the
Soviet Union
What is a Reactionary?
• Sitting on the far right of the
ideological spectrum, reactionaries
want to go back to the way things
were—the “good ol’ days.”
• Often reactionaries are willing to
use extreme methods, such as
repressive use of government
power, to achieve their goals.
• The term “reactionary is generally
negative. A positive way to say the
same thing is “arch-conservative.”
Hitler’s Mein Kampf is a typical
reactionary manifesto
What is a Liberal?
• Liberals believe that the
government should be actively
involved in the promotion of
social welfare of a nation’s
citizens.
• They usually call for peaceful,
gradual change within the
existing political system.
Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King
• They reject violent revolution
as a way of changing the way
things are, often called the
status quo.
What is a Liberal?
 Liberty & equal rights.
 Liberals favor government-funded programs that address inequalities that
they view as having derived from historical discrimination.
 A large majority of liberals favor universal health care, with many
supporting a single-payer system.
 A majority also favor diplomacy over military action.
 Favor stem cell research,
 Favor the legalization of same-sex marriage
 Favor secular government (officially neutral in matters of religion)
 Favor stricter gun control
 Favor environmental protection laws
 Favor preservation of abortion rights
 Immigration & cultural diversity is deemed positive; liberals favor cultural
pluralism, a system in which immigrants retain their native culture in addition
to adopting their new culture
 Most liberals oppose increased military spending and the display of the
Ten Commandments in public buildings
 Liberals include most of academia (college professors) & large portions of
the professional class
DEMOCRATIC Party
 The DEMOCRATIC Party’s liberal platform is largely considered centerleft in the U.S. political spectrum.
 The party has the lengthiest record of continuous operation in the United
States.
 The party contains the most registered voters of any political organization
in the world as of 2004, with 72 million voters.
 From 2006 – 2010, the Democratic Party had been the majority party in
both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
 However, as of the 112th Congress following the 2010 elections, the
Democratic Party still holds a majority in the Senate, but now holds a minority
of seats in the House of Representatives.
 President Obama is a Democrat.
What is a Moderate?
• Moderates may share
viewpoints with both liberals
and conservatives.
• They are seen as tolerant of
other people’s views, and they
do not hold extreme views of
their own.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) is
generally seen as a moderate.
• They advocate a “go-slow” or
“wait-and-see” approach to
social or political change.
What is a Conservative?
• People who hold conservative ideals
favor keeping things the way they are
or maintaining the status quo if it is
what they desire.
• Conservatives are usually hesitant or
cautious about adopting new policies,
especially if they involve government
activism in some way.
• They feel that the less government
there is, the better.
Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) is
widely regarded as the father of the
modern conservative movement
• They agree with Jefferson’s view that
“the best government governs least.”
What is a Conservative?
A conservative adheres to principles of personal responsibility, moral
values, and limited government. Former President Ronald Reagan said,
"The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or
less centralized authority or more individual freedom.”
Conservatives believe in:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Limited government and balanced budgets
Capitalism and free markets
Classroom prayer
Prohibition of abortion and respect for human life
Traditional marriage, not same-sex marriage
Laws against pornography
The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms
The death penalty
Private medical care and retirement plans
Canceling failed social support programs
Enforcement of current laws regarding immigration
Respect for our military ... past and present
Rejection of junk science such as evolution and global warming
Minimal Taxation
Federalism (Separation of powers among the National, State and Local governments)
A strong national defense
The upholding of the United States Constitution (strict interpretation)
REPUBLICAN Party
 Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the
GOP (Grand Old Party). Early Republican ideology was reflected in the 1856
slogan "free labor, free land, free men. Abraham Lincoln became the 1st
Republican President.
 The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S.
political spectrum and is considered center-right, in contrast to the center-left
Democrats.
 The Republican Party has the second most registered voters as of 2004
with 55 million, encompassing roughly one-third of the electorate.
 In the 112th Congress, elected in 2010, the Republican Party holds a
majority of seats in the House of Representatives, and a minority of seats in
the Senate.
 The party holds the majority of governorships, as well as the majority of
state legislatures, and control of one chamber in five states.
The Political Spectrum
Which Viewpoint is Dominate?
2004
#
Name
01 Washington, George
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Adams, John
Jefferson, Thomas
Madison, James
Monroe, James
Adams, John Quincy
Jackson, Andrew
Van Buren, Martin
Harrison, William H.
Tyler, John
Polk, James Knox
Taylor, Zachary
Fillmore, Millard
Pierce, Franklin
Buchanan, James
Lincoln, Abraham
Johnson, Andrew
Grant, Ulysses S.
Hayes, Rutherford B.
Garfield, James A.
Arthur, Chester Alan
*Cleveland, Grover
Harrison, Benjamin
*Cleveland, Grover
McKinley, William
US Presidents &
Political Parties
Party
None (opposed political
parties)
Federalist
Democratic-Republican
15 – Democrat (*1 x 2)
Democratic-Republican
Democratic-Republican
18 - Republican
Democratic-Republican
Democratic
26 Roosevelt, Theodore
Republic an
Democratic
27 Taft, William H.
Republican
Whig
28 Wilson, Woodrow
Democratic
Whig
29 Harding, Warren G.
Republican
Democratic
30 Coolidge, Calvin
Republican
Whig
31 Hoover, Herbert C.
Republican
Whig
32 Roosevelt, Franklin D.
Democratic
Democratic
33 Truman, Harry S.
Democratic
Democratic
34 Eisenhower, Dwight D.
Republican
Republican
35 Kennedy, John F.
Democratic
War Union
36 Johnson, Lyndon B.
Democratic
Republican
37 Nixon, Richard M.
Republican
Republican
38 Ford, Gerald R.
Republican
Republican
39 Carter, James Earl Jr.
Democratic
Republican
40 Reagan, Ronald W.
Republican
Democratic
41 Bush, George H. W.
Republican
Republican
42 Clinton, William J.
Democratic
Democratic
43 Bush, George Walker
Republican
Republican
44 Obama, Barack Hussein
Democratic
American Politicians on the
Spectrum
Michael Moore John Glenn Ben Affleck Charlton Heston John Wayne Charlie Daniels