The Politics Test - which party suits you?

[bubble sunglasses]

http://www.orgburo.com/pofoquiz/pofo.php
  My results for Defier's test:

 Individual vs Social

"The individualist believes that society works best through a focus on individual rights, freedoms, actions and responsibilities. The social thinker believes that the ideal state should focus more upon collective action and take a social approach to rights and responsibilities."
   
          
Individual
      
Social
          
     

You scored 32 out of 100 on a scale of Individual vs Social. This means that politically you are less likely to value the need for group actions and group benefit over individual enterprise and benefit.

    * 12% of test takers were more individual than you.
    * 87% of test takers were more social than you.

   

     
Theist vs Materialist

"The materialist believes that all objective criteria to influence politics can be reasonably derived without recourse to the divine or the spiritual. The theist believes that spiritual beliefs are important and should influence government policy."
   
          
Theist
      
Materialist
          
     

You scored 61 out of 100 on a scale of Theist vs Materialist. This means that politically you are more likely to believe that religion and spirituality are superstitions that should not inform political debate.

    * 50% of test takers were more theist than you.
    * 48% of test takers were more materialist than you.

   

     
Big Government vs Small Government

"The big government advocate believes that governments should be responsible for regulating a wide array of social practices, even what might be considered personal decisions such as abortion, euthanasia, children's education and births. A small government advocate thinks that, wherever possible, these issues should be up to individuals or companies to direct."
   
          
Big Gov
      
Small Gov
          
     

You scored 84 out of 100 on a scale of Big Government vs Small Government. This means that politically you are more likely to believe that government should keep out of legislating social policies, leaving such decisions to individuals.

    * 92% of test takers were more big government than you.
    * 7% of test takers were more small government than you.

   

     
Nationalist vs Internationalist

"The nationalist believes in the sovereign rule of nation states, particularly his or her own. The internationalist believes that there should be more important international fora and perhaps, ultimately, international government."
   
          
National
      
International
          
     

You scored 75 out of 100 on a scale of Nationalist vs Internationalist. This means that politically you are more likely to favour international bodies over national ones.

    * 83% of test takers were more nationalist than you.
    * 16% of test takers were more internationalist than you.

   

     
Protectionist vs Free Trader

"The protectionist believes in barriers against free trade most probably due to a belief that this is in his or her country's interests. The free trader rejects such notions, believing that the system ultimately suffers when tariffs, subsidies and other obstacles to free trade persist."
   
          
Protection
      
Free-Trade
          
     

You scored 70 out of 100 on a scale of Protectionist vs Free Trader. This means that politically you are more likely to favour free trade over protectionist policies.

    * 74% of test takers were more protectionist than you.
    * 24% of test takers were more pro free trade than you.

   

     
Absolutist vs Non-Absolutist

"The absolutist believes that either a divine presence or scientific laws provide absolute truths about the world, which can and should be applied in practise. The non-absolutist may be either a relativist, or simply someone who is more pragmatic."
   
          
Absolute
      
Non-Absolute
          
     

You scored 59 out of 100 on a scale of Absolutist vs Non Absolutist. This means that politically you are neither more nor less likely to believe that there is an absolute truth that may guide your ideological beliefs.

    * 57% of test takers were more absolutist than you.
    * 39% of test takers were more non-absolutist than you.

   

     
Controlled Market vs Liberal Market

"Both of these categories assume a capitalist system. Assuming this system, the controlled market believer holds that government should intervene in regulating a nation's economy: wage laws, environmental standards, privatised industries and workplace relations policy. A liberal market thinker believes that such regulation is unnecessary and often counter-productive."
   
          
Controlled
      
Liberal
          
     

You scored 69 out of 100 on a scale of Controlled Market vs Liberal Market. This means that politically you are less likely to believe that there is need for government regulation of industry.

    * 85% of test takers were more controlled market thinkers than you.
    * 14% of test takers were more liberal market thinkers than you.

   

     
Marxist vs Non-Marxist

"This scale purports to show to what extent you follow the thought and teachings of Marx. Marxists tend to be scientific, materialist and revolutionary, believe in class struggle and the laws of historical and dialectic materialism."
   
          
Marxist
      
Non-Marxist
          
     

You scored 47 out of 100 on a scale of Marxist vs Non-Marxist. This means that politically you are neither more nor less likely to follow the philosophies of Marx.

    * 47% of test takers were more Marxist than you.
    * 50% of test takers were more non-Marxist than you.

   

[sxcalexc]

http://www.ozpolitics.info/guide/fun/politics-test/?id=df2b38d45740fba83f0b3e9e95c9f5a0
 
Can someone tell me what this means in layman terms? Background info: I'm a man of science and reason. I don't have any religious beliefs but I believe I have a pretty solid moral code and I respect others' beliefs. My family isn't too well off so some of my views are slightly biased, however, I think my economic views are centre-right or so.

Also, I would like to know the major differences between the Democrats and the Labor party, if anyone could tell me. Thanks.

Moderator Action: Copied in the correct link

[Glockmeister]

heres mine

http://www.ozpolitics.info/guide/fun/politics-test/?id=a228b477bbdfcb0c0efc14e1af942c54

[Collin Li]

http://www.ozpolitics.info/guide/fun/politics-test/?id=df2b38d45740fba83f0b3e9e95c9f5a0
 
Can someone tell me what this means in layman terms? Background info: I'm a man of science and reason. I don't have any religious beliefs but I believe I have a pretty solid moral code and I respect others' beliefs. My family isn't too well off so some of my views are slightly biased, however, I think my economic views are centre-right or so.

It looks like you're much like a libertarian, or a classical liberal. Your traditional values suggest that you don't believe the government should intervene with personal values, while your social and economic policy scores indicate that you believe minimum government intervention in the economy is required.

Unfortunately, we don't really have that choice in Australia, hence the confused choice between Democrats, Liberals and the ALP on your score result. We have to choose between an economic regulator (the ALP) versus a traditional values regulator (the Liberals).

[jess3254]

"Your economic policy score score is -59.9%. This equates to a ‘Left’ position"
boooooo

I agree. How can you justify the intervention that you're condoning?

I assure you, despite trying hard to consider and listen to your pro-capitalism arguments, I remain completely unconvinced. I just don't think a system of capitalism with no regulation would work in practice (nor does it work in theory). I have my views. I am for a system of capitalist welfare (if that makes sense? Pretty much what we've got now.) I believe part of being a democracy is that everyone should contribute financially to the improvement and expansion of a country they inhabit, and should assist with the care of its citizens for a healthier and more productive society.

Perhaps you could have an 'opt-out' system for tax, however, the individuals who do opt-out will have to pay on the spot to use the roads, pay a lot more to use the public transport, fork out lots of money for health care, pay for full university fees, pay for full school fees, use of libraries etc. I don't know.

Government will end up JUST trying to appeal to the big business and such. And capitalism will not magically help poor people. If you really hate the way the system is structured, go exercise your democratic right and move to a different country.

I respect your point of view, so please respect mine and everyone else's. Your views aren't necessarily the correct ones.

Anyhow.

p.s. Please take the fact that I didn't have any sleep last night into account when reading this post 

[Eriny]

^ True. Many libertarians commit the exact crime that they condemn, which is that they seem to believe that they are wiser than others on all matters political and economic. I think that some forget that there are compromises inherent in any political ideology, and thus you can't possibly say that one is better than the other. Though, frankly, if people with next to no financial resources don't have to rely on the whims of their richer counterparts saving them in matters that are potentially life and death, then I think the political system can at least be said to be ethical.

e.g. person lives in outback Australia, is very sick, cannot afford healthcare. Nobody around can afford his healthcare either. Richer people in the big cities do not know that this person even exists. Person is denied access to medicine, person dies. Is this okay? Is it okay for someone who is poor to die merely because the free market mixed with geographical location demands it? I really wouldn't like my life valued by the supply and demand curve, even if the results were in my favour. I would not choose personal valuation in such crude terms.

Unfortunately, we don't really have that choice in Australia, hence the confused choice between Democrats, Liberals and the ALP on your score result. We have to choose between an economic regulator (the ALP) versus a traditional values regulator (the Liberals).

Actually, in one of my pols classes the lecturer labeled the ALP as 'Capital's B Team', citing their reduction of tariffs and lowering of minimum wage as examples of this. ALP can actually get away with deregulation much more easily than the Liberals because they don't have any ties to business and they can sweet talk the unions.

I did the Defier test:
Overall, the PoliticsForum quiz considers you a socially-orientated, internationalist, free-trade, non-absolutist, controlled-market kind of person.

These characteristics would put you in the overall category of borderline internationalist. Your natural home at PoliticsForum would be the International Relations area.

You scored 71 out of 100 on a scale of Individual vs Social. This means that politically you are more likely to value the need for group actions and group benefit over individual enterprise and benefit.

You scored 55 out of 100 on a scale of Theist vs Materialist. This means that politically you are  neither more nor less  likely to believe that religion and spirituality are superstitions that should not inform political debate.

You scored 50 out of 100 on a scale of Big Government vs Small Government. This means that politically you are  neither more nor less  likely to believe that government should keep out of legislating social policies, leaving such decisions to individuals.

You scored 78 out of 100 on a scale of Nationalist vs Internationalist. This means that politically you are more likely to favour international bodies over national ones.

You scored 67 out of 100 on a scale of Protectionist vs Free Trader. This means that politically you are more likely to favour free trade over protectionist policies.

You scored 77 out of 100 on a scale of Absolutist vs Non Absolutist. This means that politically you are  less  likely to believe that there is an absolute truth that may guide your ideological beliefs.

You scored 29 out of 100 on a scale of Controlled Market vs Liberal Market. This means that politically you are more likely to believe that there is need for government regulation of industry.

You scored 40 out of 100 on a scale of Marxist vs Non-Marxist. This means that politically you are neither more nor less likely to follow the philosophies of Marx.

[Collin Li]

True. Many libertarians commit the exact crime that they condemn, which is that they seem to believe that they are wiser than others on all matters political and economic.

There is a difference in believing that you are right, and believing you are right and hence making a decision for everyone. Every other ideology requires you to believe you are right (otherwise, why would it be policy), but also requires you to enforce it upon everyone. Libertarianism does not enforce values onto others.

I really wouldn't like my life valued by the supply and demand curve, even if the results were in my favour. I would not choose personal valuation in such crude terms.

This is another way of saying that you would like to control other people's values.

[Collin Li]

Government will end up JUST trying to appeal to the big business and such. And capitalism will not magically help poor people. If you really hate the way the system is structured, go exercise your democratic right and move to a different country.

What do you mean by this? I'm not necessarily in favour of big business. My policies do not necessarily support them. The growth of business size (in all industries) has rapidly increased since countries like the US started to regulate, actually. So regulators are really the fans of big business in a lot of cases.

In the US, health services are one of the most heavily regulated industries. Yet, it is the bane of America. If they adopted the (almost) free-market system that they have for a lot of other industries, the resources committed to healthcare would increase. My argument is that a lot of regulation harms these services.

I am willing to make compromises. Some regulation is useful, but so much regulation has unintended consequences. We should discuss these on a per policy basis.

[sxcalexc]

Overall, the PoliticsForum quiz considers you a materialist, free-trade, kind of person.

I really need to form an opinion on some of these issues :S Perhaps I shall do some reading on politics.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q189/xplosiv26/PoliticsForumQuizv20.png

You'll have to save it and zoom in :S

[Collin Li]

I really need to form an opinion on some of these issues :S Perhaps I shall do some reading on politics.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q189/xplosiv26/PoliticsForumQuizv20.png

You'll have to save it and zoom in :S

Haha, that doesn't have enough detail for me to read it after zooming in.

If you want some biased videos, YouTube John Stossel on Education, who was a major influence in my transition from neutral (after being socialist) to libertarian. That worked for me, but I also know reading www.mises.org (Austrian economics webpage) worked for others.

If you want some neutral books that will educate you on unintended consequences of policies (introduced by left and right), read things like Freakonomics, and The Undercover Economist (pop economics books).

Uhm... influences before I was neutral? No one really. I would have Wikipedia'd things like anarcho-communism, anarcho-syndicalism, Noam Chomsky...

[sxcalexc]

I really need to form an opinion on some of these issues :S Perhaps I shall do some reading on politics.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q189/xplosiv26/PoliticsForumQuizv20.png

You'll have to save it and zoom in :S

Haha, that doesn't have enough detail for me to read it after zooming in.

If you want some biased videos, YouTube John Stossel on Education, who was a major influence in my transition from neutral (after being socialist) to libertarian. That worked for me, but I also know reading www.mises.org (Austrian economics webpage) worked for others.

If you want some neutral books that will educate you on unintended consequences of policies (introduced by left and right), read things like Freakonomics, and The Undercover Economist (pop economics books).

Uhm... influences before I was neutral? No one really. I would have Wikipedia'd things like anarcho-communism, anarcho-syndicalism, Noam Chomsky...

Thanks Coblin!

[Collin Li]

No problems.

John Stossel on Greed (6 parts)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDVRoLLhb3E&feature=related

I actually disliked John Stossel, from my first impression, but somehow he grew on me...

[sxcalexc]

Loving the procrastination material lol. Ohh man I should start studying for exams =/ ... One of these days.

[excal]

e.g. person lives in outback Australia, is very sick, cannot afford healthcare. Nobody around can afford his healthcare either. Richer people in the big cities do not know that this person even exists. Person is denied access to medicine, person dies. Is this okay? Is it okay for someone who is poor to die merely because the free market mixed with geographical location demands it? I really wouldn't like my life valued by the supply and demand curve, even if the results were in my favour. I would not choose personal valuation in such crude terms.

This, among a few others such as uncontrolled monopolies, are the few failings of a completely libertarian society.

A bit welfare would ensure this person will get back on track and contribute to society again. However, there is the true consideration that the government ought to not take my money forcefully (through taxes).

In this sort of situation, I believe the government's role is to act only as a facilitator - to create the means for those able and willing to contribute to welfare to do so. Perhaps an opt-in system to take a bit more tax for this very purpose?

[excal]

Yep, I'm still a centrist.

http://www.ozpolitics.info/guide/fun/politics-test/?id=73bd187e47031b2ee67bbc7fb6240f94