Libertarian Bona Fides

Inspired by our newest member, Keith_Indy, I decided to retake the political compass questionnaire regarding political ideology. I’m not terribly confident about the accuracy of this questionnaire, but it is interesting to see the results nonetheless. Based on my answers I fall right on top of Milton Friedman in the lower right quadrant (Economic axis = 6.50; Social axis = -1.95). The questionnaire most likely ranks me a bit higher on the “Authoritarian” axis than is warranted due to the questions regarding religion. However, Milton Friedman is certainly a big informer of my own political philosophy.

I also once took the Ludwig von Mises Institute quiz entitled “Are You an Austrian?” on which I scored an 83 out of 100. According to the Mises Institute, that score places me somewhere comfortably on the cusp of Chicago School and Austrian economic policy.

So what does all that mean? Nothing really, except that I know the libertarian answers to quizzes. To be sure, I gave honest answers, but as with all multiple choice tests those answers often were not as nuanced as I would have liked. In any case, accepting the tests for what they are, and the idea that such things are even measurable, there are my rankings as a libertarian. If you don’t like it, just remember … Keith started it.

This entry was posted in Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page. Bookmark the permalink.

7 Responses to Libertarian Bona Fides

  1. Lance says:

    I landed at 6.63 and -3.69. Close to Friedman as well (though I think I dispute the location of many of the people they plot, Friedman looks about right. I’ll take the Austrian test later.

  2. Keith_Indy says:

    I’ll be taking the Austrian test later as well. A little to involved for the middle of the work day.

    It is a sad day…

    http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,230004,00.html

    Milton Friedman, the Nobel Prize-winning economist who advocated an unfettered free market and had the ear of three U.S. presidents, died Thursday at age 94.

    Friedman died in San Francisco, said Robert Fanger, a spokesman for the Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation in Indianapolis. He did not know the cause of death.

    “Milton’s passion for freedom and liberty has influenced more lives than he ever could possibly know,” said Gordon St. Angelo, the foundation’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “His writings and ideas have transformed the minds of U.S. presidents, world leaders, entrepreneurs and freshmen economic majors alike.”

  3. Hmmm… I appear to be the black sheep of the family. My economic score was 3.38 and my social was 1.08. I landed in the same spot as Frau Kanzellor Angela Merkel. That’s… interesting.

  4. laughingman says:

    (5.13, -2.92)

    I wrote about 15 different comments on this test/topic but I thought better on all of them. So…no comment!

  5. Lance says:

    Heh. I wanted to argue with about half the questions as well.

  6. PogueMahone says:

    Grade me, judge me, just don’t bore me…

    Yes. veni, vidi, vici.

    The Pogue passes with flying colors.

    Economic Left/Right: -0.63
    Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.15

    Hah!!! In your face Gandhi. I beat you. Suck on this, punchy.

    Actually, I am more impressed with myself for I managed to stay awake throughout the entire test. Which speaks volumes as I compare my seasoned self with my yesteryear hooligan.

    Although I admit I was starting to feel a li’l sleepy around page four.

    The test was interesting. I found it hesitating as there were only “agree, disagree, strongly agree, strongly disagree” buttons. There was no “shrug” button.

    Oh well. [shrug]

    These were the questions I answered as either “strongly agree” or “strongly disagree”.

    I’d always support my country, whether it was right or wrong.

    “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” is a fundamentally good idea.

    It’s a sad reflection on our society that something as basic as drinking water is now a bottled, branded consumer product.

    Those with the ability to pay should have the right to higher standards of medical care .

    Good parents sometimes have to spank their children.

    First-generation immigrants can never be fully integrated within their new country.

    Astrology accurately explains many things.

    You cannot be moral without being religious.

    What goes on in a private bedroom between consenting adults is no business of the state.

    For those who have the misfortune of reading my pixels… Can you guess which was which?

    It’s like… another test…

    Where most questions like these for the purpose of gauging one’s political persuasion are somewhat ambiguous, there was one I found particularly peculiar,

    People with serious inheritable disabilities should not be allowed to reproduce.

    What does, specifically, “inheritable disabilities” mean? Are they asking about heart disease, cancer, diabetes…? I answered “disagree”, however, if “inheritable disabilities” includes stupidity, then… yeah… I really wish there was a “shrug” button.

    ‘Cause…, ya’ know,… dude… I’ve met some people that we really don’t need to be dippin’ back into that gene pool.

    Cheers.

  7. ChrisB says:

    Astrology accurately explains many things.

    For those who have the misfortune of reading my pixels… Can you guess which was which?

    You Irish and your stars…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>