The Political The Political SpectrumSpectrumWhere do you stand?Where do you stand?

What is a Continuum?What is a Continuum?

• A person’s views on the issues help A person’s views on the issues help determine where they fall on the political determine where they fall on the political spectrum. spectrum.

• The labels used on the spectrum are not The labels used on the spectrum are not pure categories, but they make up a pure categories, but they make up a continuum, or value line, and citizens and continuum, or value line, and citizens and politicians fall somewhere on that line politicians fall somewhere on that line depending on what they believe. depending on what they believe.

Factors That Determine Factors That Determine PlacementPlacement

• Two major factors shape political views. Two major factors shape political views. • The first is how much change a person is The first is how much change a person is

willing to have within their society and willing to have within their society and government. government.

• The second deals with how much government The second deals with how much government involvement in the economy a person calls for.involvement in the economy a person calls for.

• Others also bring in the question of how much Others also bring in the question of how much freedom from government authority a leader is freedom from government authority a leader is willing to give the people. willing to give the people.

Political LabelsPolitical Labels

• To see where you stand, you would have to To see where you stand, you would have to figure out where you stand on a number of figure out where you stand on a number of social (people-related), economic (money-social (people-related), economic (money-related), and political (governmental) issues. related), and political (governmental) issues.

• First you need definitions of the terms radical, First you need definitions of the terms radical, liberal, conservative, and reactionary. Some liberal, conservative, and reactionary. Some authors include the terms authoritarian and authors include the terms authoritarian and libertarian.libertarian.

What is a Radical?What is a Radical?• Seen as being on the far left Seen as being on the far left

of the political spectrum, of the political spectrum, radicals call for wide-radicals call for wide-sweeping rapid change in sweeping rapid change in the basic structure of the the basic structure of the political, social, or political, social, or economic system. economic system.

• They may be willing to They may be willing to resort to extreme methods resort to extreme methods to bring about change, to bring about change, including the use of including the use of violence and revolution.violence and revolution.

V.I. Lenin: Mastermind of the V.I. Lenin: Mastermind of the Russian Revolution and Father Russian Revolution and Father

of the Soviet Unionof the Soviet Union

What is a Liberal?What is a Liberal?• Liberals believe that the Liberals believe that the

government should be government should be actively involved in the actively involved in the promotion of social welfare promotion of social welfare of a nationof a nation’’s citizens. s citizens.

• They usually call for They usually call for peaceful, gradual change peaceful, gradual change within the existing political within the existing political system. system.

• They reject violent They reject violent revolution as a way of revolution as a way of changing the way things are, changing the way things are, often called the status quo.often called the status quo.

Dr. Rev. Martin Luther KingDr. Rev. Martin Luther King

What is a Moderate?What is a Moderate?• Moderates may share Moderates may share

viewpoints with both liberals viewpoints with both liberals and conservatives. and conservatives.

• They are seen as tolerant of They are seen as tolerant of other peopleother people’’s views, and s views, and they do not hold extreme they do not hold extreme views of their own. views of their own.

• They advocate a They advocate a ““go-slowgo-slow”” or or ““wait-and-seewait-and-see”” approach approach to social or political change.to social or political change.

Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) is Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) is generally seen as a moderate.generally seen as a moderate.

What is a Conservative?What is a Conservative?• People who hold conservative People who hold conservative

ideals favor keeping things the ideals favor keeping things the way they are or maintaining the way they are or maintaining the status quo if it is what they desire. status quo if it is what they desire.

• Conservatives are usually hesitant Conservatives are usually hesitant or cautious about adopting new or cautious about adopting new policies, especially if they involve policies, especially if they involve government activism in some way. government activism in some way.

• They feel that the less government They feel that the less government there is, the better. there is, the better.

• They agree with Jefferson’s view They agree with Jefferson’s view that “the best government governs that “the best government governs least.”least.”

Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) is widely Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) is widely regarded as the father of the modern regarded as the father of the modern

conservative movementconservative movement

What is a Reactionary?What is a Reactionary?• Sitting on the far right of the Sitting on the far right of the

ideological spectrum, ideological spectrum, reactionaries want to go back to reactionaries want to go back to the way things werethe way things were——the the ““good good olol’’ days. days.”” Often reactionaries are willing to Often reactionaries are willing to use extreme methods, such as use extreme methods, such as repressive use of government repressive use of government power, to achieve their goals.power, to achieve their goals.

• The term “reactionary is The term “reactionary is generally negative. A positive way generally negative. A positive way to say the same thing is “arch-to say the same thing is “arch-conservative.” conservative.”

Hitler’s Mein Kampf is a typical reactionary Hitler’s Mein Kampf is a typical reactionary manifestomanifesto

The Political SpectrumThe Political Spectrum

American Politicians on the American Politicians on the SpectrumSpectrum

QUESTIONS???QUESTIONS???