POLITICAL SPECTRUM An Introduction DEFINITION A political spectrum

POLITICAL SPECTRUM An Introduction

DEFINITION • A political spectrum is a tool used to visually compare different political positions by placing the positions on one or more axes.

• In the United States, the most commonly used political spectrum, (also known as the political continuum), places a range of beliefs along a horizontal line and is described in terms left or right of center. LEFT CENTER RIGHT

GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS LEFT More government intervention Gradual to rapid change in government RIGHT Less government intervention Little to no change in status quo

QUICK RECAP: LEFT RIGHT used to describe refers to people who hold support change traditional values in society and want less government intervention

POLITICAL SPECTRUM OF IDEOLOGIES LEFT RIGHT LIBERAL RADICAL CONSERVATIVE MODERATE REACT.

TWO MAJOR U. S. PARTIES DEMOCRATS generally seen as liberal because they support government regulation of the economy REPUBLICANS generally seen as conservative because they advocate a reduction in government

MORE SPECIFICALLY… • Within parties, there are people who hold a variety of opinions on social and economic issues that fall along the spectrum of political ideologies • Examples are liberal Democrats, moderate Republicans, and conservative Republicans

BOTH PARTIES LEAN TOWARD MODERATE Current theorists say that U. S. political parties are becoming increasingly moderate and therefore less easily S separated on the political spectrum D N EM A C I OC RA TS L B E R U P

WHERE WOULD YOU PUT… • Communists? • Fascists? • Socialists? • Absolutists? E V I LEFT RIGHT T T A T L S V S I I A R C L E R S A I S E A C N B F I O O L S C CO MM AB RA CENTRISTS REA DIC SO UN C T. AL IST

CURRENT ISSUES LEFT • • Pro Gun Control Pro-Choice (Abortion) No Censorship Prisons should Rehabilitate • Pro-Privacy • Equal Funding for Education • Democratic Party Platform RIGHT • • Anti-Gun Control Pro-Life (Abortion) Anti-Flag Burning Prisons Should Punish • Prayer in Schools • School Vouchers • Republican Party Platform

SURVEY RESULTS • Reflect on your results! • Where did you fall? • Was this accurate? RADICAL MODERATE 500 400 LIBERAL 300 REACTIONARY 200 100 LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE LIBERAL

100% LIBERAL b Re an ag p m sh Bu le Do Ke ald Ro n Bo ck Ja e ll we Po rg Ge o n n to Cl in Co li Bi ll n on int Cl dy so ck ne Ja Ke n ry Hi lla Te d e ss Je MATCH WHERE YOU FALL WITH THE FOLLOWING POLITICAL FIGURES 100% CONSERVATIVE