Left vs Right vs Reality

[NightHawkeye]

Thought I'd offer a thought ...

Our two political parties don't go neatly between right and left. They also shift perpendicularly with respect to right and left ... as seen in the chart below which attempts to show freedom and tyranny in regard to both the republican and the democratic parties.

I find the chart above much more useful in terms of understanding types of government than the simple left-right dichotomy. My criticism of the chart is that it's too politically correct.

Consequently, I kinda like the following chart more ...

There are similarities but more importantly there are differences which seem to more closely align this latter chart with the existing political parties.

FWIW, offered in the interest of improving the political dialogue.

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[blueapplepaste]

Interesting charts. Definitely more constructive than ones that simply try to make the Repubs/Dems align perfectly with Nazis/Fascists depending on who is trying to do the smearing.

 

[Harpuia]

I've seen that first chart in an academic book a while back, but I think that it was flipped upside down.

 

[NightHawkeye]

I've seen that first chart in an academic book a while back, but I think that it was flipped upside down.

Couldn't find one flipped, Harpuia, but did find another one which also looks fairly accurate ...

 

[Harpuia]

Couldn't find one flipped, Harpuia, but did find another one which also looks fairly accurate ...

That's the exact one. Except upside-down and mirrored, where the centrists are in the bottom and the tyrannists are on top, but the left/right remain in the same position.

 

[NightHawkeye]

That's the exact one. Except upside-down and mirrored, where the centrists are in the bottom and the tyrannists are on top, but the left/right remain in the same position.

I expect it's better ligher side up ... or down with tyranny [to butcher a good pun]

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[Harpuia]

Makes sense.

The political circle is a new popular "shape" to replace the outdated "line" because many people realize how similar extremists are with each other as well as centrists. I had thought that the political spectrum was in the shape of a circle for as long as I first heard about it.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Makes sense.

The political circle is a new popular "shape" to replace the outdated "line" because many people realize how similar extremists are with each other as well as centrists. I had thought that the political spectrum was in the shape of a circle for as long as I first heard about it.

And, to reinforce that thought, here's one which also illustrates why the country suddenly switched from cries of George Bush being dictatorial to cries of Obama being dictatorial. At the top, the "neo-cons" are next to the "progressives". Not that I necessarily agree with that usage of neo-con, but there's no doubt that George W. Bush consolidated power which Obama then switched to his favorite causes.

 

[Umaro]

And, to reinforce that thought, here's one which also illustrates why the country suddenly switched from cries of George Bush being dictatorial to cries of Obama being dictatorial. At the top, the "neo-cons" are next to the "progressives". Not that I necessarily agree with that usage of neo-con, but there's no doubt that George W. Bush consolidated power which Obama then switched to his favorite causes.

This graph seems a bit harsh. I would put progressives and neo-cons a bit farther from Authoritarian. Maybe 10 and 2 respectively.

 

[chaz345]

Makes sense.

The political circle is a new popular "shape" to replace the outdated "line" because many people realize how similar extremists are with each other as well as centrists. I had thought that the political spectrum was in the shape of a circle for as long as I first heard about it.

The political spectrum as a circle was a concept I was introduced to in high school, 25 years ago. It always made more sense to me.

 

[NightHawkeye]

This graph seems a bit harsh. I would put progressives and neo-cons a bit farther from Authoritarian. Maybe 10 and 2 respectively.

LOL.

You could be right. It certainly seems harsh.

Yet, the saying ... Welcome to the new boss, same as the old boss ... seems perfectly applicable. A dis-interested observer might see the two side by side, just as some see Nazism and Communism as very nearly the same. The idealogical differences really don't matter to a dis-interested observer simply watching the actions of each.