Political opinions, left right, statist, libertarian? Do you agree with "quiz" scores?

Question

There are a couple of websites where you can take a quiz about your political views:

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html
www.politicalcompass.org

You are welcome to post others for review or reference.

I score as a centrist on both of these, a little to the left on one and a little to the right on the other.

This amazed me since most people call me conservative, right winger, religious right, etc and I consider myself to be a moderate conservative.

I was wondering how many people agreed with where they ended up on the map with these political quiz's?

There are some really good answers and I appreciate them. I even appreciate the sarcastic kind of answers.

I don't understand why anyone would lie on a test like this, but, I guess some people might. These tests are to find out about where you stand politically, not to prove to the world you are something else. I just surprises me that I keep coming out in so much in the center when I keep being called "right wing".

Now if I am "right wing" and I am really in the center, where does that put most other people? :-) I think these tests are kind of like IQ tests, not very valid.

Answer 1

I took the quizes suggested in your question - and found myself "lefter" than I expected, but in the Libertarian area that I expected.

Truly I think quizzes like this are worded specifically to convolute, confuse, and coerce answers from people. However, that being said....I love polls and quizzes....why else do we continue to ask and answer questions here?

Answer 2

I have taken the quiz several times over the years... I have always ended up in the same libertarian square just different points of it..
And that is what I am..I have been a libertarian for about 5 years.. since I learned about the party.. I do consider myself a "Conservative Libertarian" tho.. as I am against abortion and strong on national defense..

I dont think any American fits perfectly in their political party.. Thats the great thing about individualism...

Answer 3

I tend heavily to the libertarian side also, and I agree with it. It is sort of a wild card right now though. You see, both the liberal and conservative points of view are being driven by the extremes which are working towards the same end: Controlling how you live your life. The conservatives are doing it from the religion side, the liberals are doing it from the beaurocracy side.

The more extreme they get, the harder they are to tell apart. In fact, a communist dictator is almost identical to a fascist one.

So a person that is for personal responsibility and freedom will be lumped with the other side whichever group they are discussing things with. If you disagree with a liberal, you are a conservative. If you disagree with a conservative, you are a liberal. Frankly you are disagreeing with both, but since they can only handle black and white, and not shades of grey, they are incapable of grasping that.

-Dio

Answer 4

I'm Libertarian, I don't really like the world's smallest quiz, I think it should be more detailed. Of course I scored Libertarian, but many are individuals with individual state of minds. If you expanded your test, and include more detail to it, I believe it will have more of an effect.
Everyone leans Libertarian in some way rather it's social or economic liberties. Unless your a statist.
-Anarcho-capitalist till I die.

Answer 5

I actually took this quiz and was a little suprised. Here I thought I leaned towards the right and it turns out I am a libertarian. Which now that I think about it, is probably pretty accurate. Less government, lower taxes, strong military, and personal freedom held with the highest esteem.

Answer 6

I'm not really interested in stuff like that, to be honest. I was a Republican for 20 years. Approved of Reagan; approved of Bush I, too. Voted for Clinton both times primarily because I was concerned about America's economy.

I don't think any voter is wise by following a predetermined "party line," because that removes personal analysis from the mix, and I think helps to increase voter apathy, as well as create a nation of sheep (left, right, centrists... what have you).

Good luck to you.

Answer 7

Do you tell the truth on those things? If you don't want to who is going to know the quiz police?

Actually when honest with their answers most people will be somewhere in the middle. There are very few on the far right or left. Often we inflate our attitudes just to be important or to prove our point. It is sort of like the puffer fish who blows himself up to twice his actual size to look bigger so he doesn't become someone's dinner. Lefties seem more left and Righties seem more right because of this phenomenon.

Answer 8

I do not belong to the Libertarian party but philosophically, I am a libertarian and the test agrees with me.

This is from the webpage link you provided.

LIBERTARIANS support maximum liberty in both personal and

economic matters. They advocate a much smaller government; one

that is limited to protecting individuals from coercion and violence.

Libertarians tend to embrace individual responsibility, oppose

government bureaucracy and taxes, promote private charity, tolerate

diverse lifestyles, support the free market, and defend civil liberties.

Answer 9

On the first one, I'm a centrist.
On the second, fiscally I'm a little liberal. Socially I'm just barely conservative. It put me at one point something on both.
That's about right.
Other tests I've taken have put me at being a socially conservative Democrat, while another said I'm a moderate Republican.

Answer 10

I'm a hard core Libertarian according to the quiz.

I guess that just means I hate everybody for trying to make rules and barriers instead of just letting things be.