‘A far-left social libertarian’

As someone who is highly interested in political ideology and ways of conceptualizing and explaining politics, I’m an enthusiast for the various online political ideological spectrum tests around. Although hardly perfect, they are useful mechanisms for helping us understand politics and comparative political issues – especially because they often allow for more complexity than just the simple – yet important – left-right dimension. I recently took the test at the gotoquiz.com’s Political Spectrum Quiz, and it turns out that I can be categorized as ‘a far-left social libertarian’ - Left: 7.7, Libertarian: 7.11. [Read more below]

In terms of foreign policy, I’m a clear non-interventionist (or in my language, an ‘anti-imperialist’) with a score of Score: -9.31.

In terms of the ‘culture wars’ (a north American term, but still of great relevance in New Zealand), I’m a clear ‘cultural liberal’, with a score of 7.78.

Plotting the New Zealand party system in 2008

Another useful online political spectrum test can be found at Political Compass. Although the test is possibly less rigourous, it’s more comparatively useful, as the test has been performed for many party systems of the world. The political compass evaluation of New Zealand’s party system in 2008 (election year) is below. I consider this to be relatively correct, but would dispute the display of National being so far to the right, and of the Greens being that far to the left nor that libertarian. It's a pity they wouldn't/couldn't include the Maori Party.

 

The comparative political ideologies in the New Zealand blogosphere

I’m hoping that someone is going to put together a comparative quadrant detailing some of the New Zealand blogosphere. There’s one on No Right Turn from 2003, but it’s rather out of date, and I imagine the blogosphere is somewhat more centrist six years later.

Anyhow, below are some of the NZ blogs that appear to have published there political spectrum quiz results (which I'm updating as the info become available in the comments section):

NZ media and other stuff:

Big news:

BK Drinkwater:

 

 

Something should go here:

 

 

Homepaddock:

NZ conservative:

The Inquiring mind:

 

Fatal paradox:

Kiwipolitico's Lew:

Brad Taylor:

Chris Trotter (Bowalley Road):

 
 

Robert Winter (Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow):