What is your Political Ideology?

[dogtowner]

If you're willing to participate, I might be able to formulate such a questionnaire... lets see what we can come up with.

The first category deals with your concept of mans relation to society.

1. Are you an Individualist or a Collectivist?

Individualism:The individual is sovereign, rights of the individual should be protected and individuals should be left free to act in any way that does not infringe on the rights of others.

Collectivism: The interests of Individuals should be subordinated to the interests of society, every individual has a duty, or moral obligation, to work for the greater good and the rights of society as a whole take precedent over the rights of individuals.

All ideologies fall within one of those two categories, none can share both.

-----

The next category is Metaphysics and deals with your concept of reality.

2. Which statement most closely parallels your concept of reality?

a. Reality exists independent of my ability to understand, comprehend, or know of its existence. Example, a speck of dust in space exists whether or not I know of its existence and regardless of my ability to understand or comprehend its nature.

b. Nothing exists outside the minds ability to conceptualize its existence. Example, a speck of dust in space only exists once I know its there and I have the capacity to comprehend and understand its nature.

c. Nothing exists. Example, a speck of dust in space is merely an illusion.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation)

-----

This next category is epistemology, your concept of knowledge.

3. Which of the following statements most closely parallels your concept of knowledge formulation?

a. Knowledge can be gained by mystical means. Example, you can learn by osmosis (fall asleep on a book and wake up knowing its contents).

b. Knowledge is subjective, there are no absolutes, and nothing can be known for certain. Example, what you perceive as a blue triangle may actually be a green square to someone else.

c. There are absolutes. Knowledge is gained by applying logic, i.e., through inductive and/or deductive reasoning, by using a premise, or premises, to formulate a conclusion. Example, all men are mortal, I am a man, therefore I am mortal.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation).

-----

This last category deals with ethics, your concept of morality.

4. Which statements most closely parallels your concept of morality?

a. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are subjective to the individual. Example, what you consider good may actually be evil to another.

b. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are illusions created to control individuals. Example, nothing can be either good or evil.

c. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are absolutes and applicable only to living entities. Example, that which allows an entity to perpetuate its existence through self sustaining and self generated actions is good, that which threatens or extinguishes its life is evil.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation).

-----

As you can see, with just those few necessary questions, putting together a questionnaire that would cover every possible ideology would fill a book. Those are an excellent starting point that will include, or rule out, many possibilities and allow someone to find their ideology by answering a minimum number of questions.

Again, anyone with a genuine interest is welcome to participate, just start by providing answers to those questions and we will go on from there.

Not that I agree with all you write but for the sake of the thread, heer goes...

1. Individualist
2. A
3. D there are absolutes whether we understand them or not and logic need not apply.
4. D The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are absolutes. Without annt he other stuff.

 

[GenSeneca]

3. D there are absolutes whether we understand them or not and logic need not apply.

For the sake of clarity... That question was in relation to your concept of knowledge. You accept that there are absolutes in knowledge but reject logic as a necessary means for gaining knowledge, so by what means do you believe knowledge is acquired?

4. D The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are absolutes. Without annt he other stuff.

From where have you derived your concept of morality? (religion, philosophy, personal experience etc.)

 

[ASPCA4EVER]

1. Are you an Individualist or a Collectivist?

Individualism:The individual is sovereign, rights of the individual should be protected and individuals should be left free to act in any way that does not infringe on the rights of others.

Collectivism: The interests of Individuals should be subordinated to the interests of society, every individual has a duty, or moral obligation, to work for the greater good and the rights of society as a whole take precedent over the rights of individuals.

All ideologies fall within one of those two categories, none can share both.

-----

The next category is Metaphysics and deals with your concept of reality.

2. Which statement most closely parallels your concept of reality?

a. Reality exists independent of my ability to understand, comprehend, or know of its existence. Example, a speck of dust in space exists whether or not I know of its existence and regardless of my ability to understand or comprehend its nature.

b. Nothing exists outside the minds ability to conceptualize its existence. Example, a speck of dust in space only exists once I know its there and I have the capacity to comprehend and understand its nature.

c. Nothing exists. Example, a speck of dust in space is merely an illusion.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation)

-----

This next category is epistemology, your concept of knowledge.

3. Which of the following statements most closely parallels your concept of knowledge formulation?

a. Knowledge can be gained by mystical means. Example, you can learn by osmosis (fall asleep on a book and wake up knowing its contents).

b. Knowledge is subjective, there are no absolutes, and nothing can be known for certain. Example, what you perceive as a blue triangle may actually be a green square to someone else.

c. There are absolutes. Knowledge is gained by applying logic, i.e., through inductive and/or deductive reasoning, by using a premise, or premises, to formulate a conclusion. Example, all men are mortal, I am a man, therefore I am mortal.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation).

-----

This last category deals with ethics, your concept of morality.

4. Which statements most closely parallels your concept of morality?

a. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are subjective to the individual. Example, what you consider good may actually be evil to another.

b. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are illusions created to control individuals. Example, nothing can be either good or evil.

c. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are absolutes and applicable only to living entities. Example, that which allows an entity to perpetuate its existence through self sustaining and self generated actions is good, that which threatens or extinguishes its life is evil.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation).

-----

As you can see, with just those few necessary questions, putting together a questionnaire that would cover every possible ideology would fill a book. Those are an excellent starting point that will include, or rule out, many possibilities and allow someone to find their ideology by answering a minimum number of questions.

Again, anyone with a genuine interest is welcome to participate, just start by providing answers to those questions and we will go on from there.

I changed the font type to bold on the answers that most apply to my way organizing my thought processes. This is going to be very interesting...GOOD JOB!

 

[flaja]

Feel free to share.

1. What is your view of property?
A. All property should be privately owned so that the greatest economic good can be derived from it in the shortest amount of time possible without restraint.
B. All property should be publicly owned in that it should be used in the best interest of society as a whole so that no member of society benefits more from it than any other member of society does.
C. All property should be publicly owned so it can be used to insure that the basic needs of every member of society are provided for.
D. Ownership of property should be divided more or less equally between the private sector and the public sector so what needs to be exploited can be exploited and what needs to be preserved can be preserved.
E. Most property should be privately owned so the members of society have a vested interest in maintaining society for the sake of preserving their property for their own benefit and the benefit of their posterity.

2. What obligation do individuals have to society?
A. The individual has no obligation to society, i.e., society does not exist since no individual has a right to expect others to provide for him.
B. The individual has total obligation to society, i.e., individuals should not exist since all individuals are socially and economically equal.
C. Individuals are as responsible for taking care of each other as they are for taking care of themselves and this responsibility must be imposed by law when it is not accepted voluntarily.
D. Individuals have a moral obligation to take care of the less fortunate members of society and this obligation should be enforced by law when necessary.
E. Individuals have a moral obligation to provide the less fortunate members of society with whatever assistance they are capable of without imposing a burden on society themselves, but an individual’s obligation to take care of society should be minimal when the obligation is imposed by law so that individuals will not become dependent on the constant aid of others.

3. What obligation does society have to the individual?
A. Society has no obligation to the individual since society does not exist.
B. Society has an obligation to insure that inequality does not exist between individuals so that individualism does not exist.
C. Individuals have a right to rely on society for their basic sustenance.
D. Individuals have a right to rely on the resources of society when they cannot provide for themselves.
E. Society has a moral obligation to care for individuals that cannot care for themselves but society has no moral and should have no legal obligation to provide charity for individuals that willfully become burdens on society due to laziness, criminal activity, addiction etcetera.

4. When it comes to material gain
A. Each individual should be allowed to maximize his personal material gain without any interference from others as long as the individual respects the right of others to act in the same manner.
B. Material gain for the individual should not be allowed since the struggle for individual material gain leads to inequality within society.
C. Society, through governmental mechanism, should regulate material gain to insure equality between individuals as far as their basic economic needs are concerned.
D. Society, through governmental mechanisms, should heavily regulate material gain on the part of the individual so that the personal gain of one individual cannot deplete resources needed to provide another individual with basic sustenance.
E. Individuals should be free to maximize their individual gain according to free market forces to the extent that government regulation must insure that individuals do not engage in unfair, fraudulent or otherwise dishonest behavior.

5. In your view traditional social institutions and forces such as heterosexual marriage, monogamy, family and religion-
A. Have absolutely no importance and they must not exist because they serve to restrict the personal freedom of the individual by imposing societal norms on him.
B. Have absolutely no importance and must not exist because they allow the rich and powerful to oppress the poor and weak.
C. Have only the importance that individuals choose to give them and should not have any government or societal sanction.
D. Are important to society but government sanction should not be given to one form over another for the sake of insuring equality within society.
E. Have paramount importance for the preservation of society and the forms that history has proven to be the most effective for this purpose should be given government sanction and protection.

<continued>

 

[flaja]

Feel free to share.

6. In your view economic markets-
A. Should not have any regulation apart from the natural laws of supply and demand.
B. Have no need of regulation because the market is simply the equitable exchange of goods and services so that everyone gets what they need and contributes what they can.
C. Should be placed under the regulation of government managers who will determine the type and quantity of goods and services that will be produced and consumed so that everyone’s basic needs are met.
D. Should be regulated by the government to the extent necessary to insure the economic equality between individuals.
D. Should be regulated by the government to the extent necessary to promote economic equality between individuals.
E. Should be regulated by the government only to the extent necessary to prevent monopolies, fraud and other dishonest trade practices while protecting consumers from the effects of asymmetric information.

7. In you view-
A. Human beings will fairly complete with each other to maximize their individual self-interests in that the possibility of economic retaliation or civil lawsuits will insure each individual’s honesty.
B. Human beings will freely cooperate with each other in order to maximize their collective self-interests.
C. Government regulation is necessary to insure that society maintains equality between individual human beings by cooperating with each other in the manner necessary to maintain an equitable society.
D. Government should do whatever is necessary to insulate individual human beings from the factors of life so that no individual has to face life at a disadvantage.
E. Humans, when left to their own devices are self-centered, self-serving, greedy beings and thus must be restrained by societal forces (government, religion, social mores etcetera) so their individual actions cannot harms others or otherwise disrupt society.

8. A nation state-
A. Merely exists as a means of justifying the existence of government.
B. Exists to create tension and conflict among the world’s peoples so that the powers that be in each nation can have an excuse for seizing the resources of other nations in the name of patriotism.
C. Is a by-product of history in that nation states serve to preserve the identity of people that share a common language, culture and heritage by fostering conflict between different nation states.
D. Preserves people who share a common racial, ethnic or historical identity, but in order to carryout this function nation states must be in conflict with each other so nation states should not have the freedom to act on their own volition so that international conflict can be reduced.
E. Has paramount importance as a unifying and assimilating mechanism for people who share or choose to share a common language, culture and heritage which are not necessarily dependent on biological factors such as race or ethnicity, and in order to maintain these functions a nation state must maintain its sovereignty and its freedom of action and must not be constrained by other nation states or international entities.

9. Government-
A. Exists merely as a source of oppression to restrain people’s liberty to conduct their lives as they see fit in order to maintain their own self-interests.
B. Is unnecessary and serves only to empower people and institutions that wish to profit by oppressing others for the sake of personal gain.
C. Must have supreme power in order marshal society’s resources so they can be used to insure equality between society’s members.
D. Serves as the mechanism for regulating society’s resources so that they can be used to promote equality between society’s members.
E. Is necessary for the preservation of a stable, functioning and self-perpetuating society in that it is an unbiased referee for settling societal disputes while it maintains public order and performs whatever other tasks that must be done when the private sector either cannot or will not perform them.

10. Force (physical, economic, emotional etcetera):
A. Can always be used by individuals to preserve, protect and defend human life and property against aggression of any kind.
B. Should never be necessary in an ideal setting, but when necessary it should always be applied by society, not individuals.
C. Should be applied by the state whenever necessary to maintain an equitable and just society, but should never be used by individuals either against other individuals or to disrupt the operation of the state.
D. May be used by individuals to achieve justice whenever society fails to provide them with justice, but it should not be used otherwise by individuals and it should be used only sparingly by society lest its application lead to injustice.
E. Is always legitimate when used by society (or individuals when society cannot take action in a timely manner) to preserve, protect and defend human life and property from criminal aggression, but under no circumstances should force be used to disrupt the operation of a legitimate government that can be altered by the normal course of constitutional means.


Add up the total number of answers you have for each letter A-E. Divide each sum by 10 and then multiply by 100 to obtain your ideological quotient for each ideology A-E. A score of (X/10)(100) = your ideological quotient for the ideology represented by X, i.e., what percent of the ideology represented by X you are.

I don’t want people to know what ideology each letter represents before they take the test so they won’t be able to choose answers based on what they think or want their ideology to be. Once you take the test send me a pm and I will let you know what the ideologies are.

 

[GenSeneca]

Pandora and ASPCA,

Thank you both for answering the first group of questions, these next two questions are not multiple choice but should be the last two questions I need (your answers may require me to ask follow ups for clarity). Please answer in your own words and think of it as "in a perfect world" scenario, that is, what do you see as the ultimate goal of each:

1. What is governments role in society?

2. What is the individuals role in society?

Please be specific. For example, if you think governments role should be to promote equality, you need to specify what type of equality and to what extent.

Dogtowner, I still need you to clarify your answers from earlier but feel free to add your answers to those with these two questions in your reply.

 

[BigRob]

If you're willing to participate, I might be able to formulate such a questionnaire... lets see what we can come up with.

The first category deals with your concept of mans relation to society.

1. Are you an Individualist or a Collectivist?

Individualism:The individual is sovereign, rights of the individual should be protected and individuals should be left free to act in any way that does not infringe on the rights of others.

Collectivism: The interests of Individuals should be subordinated to the interests of society, every individual has a duty, or moral obligation, to work for the greater good and the rights of society as a whole take precedent over the rights of individuals.

All ideologies fall within one of those two categories, none can share both.

-----

The next category is Metaphysics and deals with your concept of reality.

2. Which statement most closely parallels your concept of reality?

a. Reality exists independent of my ability to understand, comprehend, or know of its existence. Example, a speck of dust in space exists whether or not I know of its existence and regardless of my ability to understand or comprehend its nature.

b. Nothing exists outside the minds ability to conceptualize its existence. Example, a speck of dust in space only exists once I know its there and I have the capacity to comprehend and understand its nature.

c. Nothing exists. Example, a speck of dust in space is merely an illusion.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation)

-----

This next category is epistemology, your concept of knowledge.

3. Which of the following statements most closely parallels your concept of knowledge formulation?

a. Knowledge can be gained by mystical means. Example, you can learn by osmosis (fall asleep on a book and wake up knowing its contents).

b. Knowledge is subjective, there are no absolutes, and nothing can be known for certain. Example, what you perceive as a blue triangle may actually be a green square to someone else.

c. There are absolutes. Knowledge is gained by applying logic, i.e., through inductive and/or deductive reasoning, by using a premise, or premises, to formulate a conclusion. Example, all men are mortal, I am a man, therefore I am mortal.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation).

-----

This last category deals with ethics, your concept of morality.

4. Which statements most closely parallels your concept of morality?

a. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are subjective to the individual. Example, what you consider good may actually be evil to another.

b. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are illusions created to control individuals. Example, nothing can be either good or evil.

c. The concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, justice and virtue are absolutes and applicable only to living entities. Example, that which allows an entity to perpetuate its existence through self sustaining and self generated actions is good, that which threatens or extinguishes its life is evil.

d. None of the above (please give an explanation).

-----

As you can see, with just those few necessary questions, putting together a questionnaire that would cover every possible ideology would fill a book. Those are an excellent starting point that will include, or rule out, many possibilities and allow someone to find their ideology by answering a minimum number of questions.

Again, anyone with a genuine interest is welcome to participate, just start by providing answers to those questions and we will go on from there.

1. Individualist
2. A
3. A mix between B and C. I think there are absolutes like you describe, however I would not fully discount the idea that absolutes can differ between people based on their own subjective reasoning.
4. Again, I would say a mix between A and C, basically for the same reasoning. I think there are absolutes, however they can vary based on a person's subjective reasoning. What is absolute to me might not be the same for another person.

 

[ASPCA4EVER]

Pandora and ASPCA,

Thank you both for answering the first group of questions, these next two questions are not multiple choice but should be the last two questions I need (your answers may require me to ask follow ups for clarity). Please answer in your own words and think of it as "in a perfect world" scenario, that is, what do you see as the ultimate goal of each:

1. What is governments role in society?

2. What is the individuals role in society?

Please be specific. For example, if you think governments role should be to promote equality, you need to specify what type of equality and to what extent.

1. What is governments role in society?
I owe my country a fair and equal amount of my earned income and for that {fair/equal tax} I won't pay anymore above and beyond that FLAT TAX BASE to the Federal government...I will still support my state by paying my fair/equal amount of sales tax on items that I can afford to purchase {no more/no less} just a pay at the time of purchase transaction. My country sales tax will be part & particle of that state sales tax and a reduced flat property tax can be assessed to the amount of value for my home/land.

IN exchange for that I'll expect to have! Country:emergency medical treatment, fire, police response, reasonable safe infrastructure for all highways and secondary roads, decent schools, locally owned: water/sewer/curb side trash removal provided. State Provided: interstate hwys, telephone, emergency medical treatment whenever/wherever I would need it, accountability for my taxes that I've paid, maintaining the current parks/reservoirs around the state/historic sights. Federal: major medical (without having to be disabled, or elderly to qualify for medicare}, safe and secure nationwide travel whether it be by: train/plane/automobile, keep our borders secure, our armed forces ready and equally equipped to meet our defence needs, National Guard / FEMA to provide emergency responce for national disasters, FDA to over see our food safety {importing as well as exporting food for our food chain human & animal alike}, major medical healthcare for any and all USA CITIZENS and copay for all prescription drugs. That's about it for now {my brain is lagging this evening}

2. What is the individuals role in society?
My responsibility is to: work hard, pay my bills, pay my fair of taxes back to the Federal Government for the privilege of the protection and items that I've mentioned. To follow all of the laws mandated by my: local city, county, state, Federal rules & guidelines. To expect that my basic freedoms will be honored and upheld as well as I uphold/honor them too.

Might have to ponder on this some...can I edit my resonse later?

 

[GenSeneca]

I must ask a few follow ups for clarity.

FLAT TAX BASE to the Federal government

Would you prefer a flat tax on income at the federal level or the current progressive income tax?

locally owned: water/sewer/curb side trash removal provided.

By local do you mean privately owned, publicly owned, or both?

State Provided: telephone, emergency medical treatment

Privately owned telephone companies and hospitals should be paid by the state through taxes, or they should be publicly owned and funded through taxes?

Might have to ponder on this some...can I edit my resonse later?

Certainly, take all the time you like.

One last thing, you didn't mention the courts in local, state or federal responsibilities of government. I'm going to presume that was simply an oversight on your part and you think they are a legitimate function of government unless of course you state otherwise.

 

[GenSeneca]

1. Individualist
2. A
3. A mix between B and C. I think there are absolutes like you describe, however I would not fully discount the idea that absolutes can differ between people based on their own subjective reasoning.
4. Again, I would say a mix between A and C, basically for the same reasoning. I think there are absolutes, however they can vary based on a person's subjective reasoning. What is absolute to me might not be the same for another person.

Too easy... Your ideology is most notable for goose-stepping jack booted thugs with swastika armbands.

I tease you my friend... Go ahead and answer the next two questions in the series.

 

[dogtowner]

For the sake of clarity... That question was in relation to your concept of knowledge. You accept that there are absolutes in knowledge but reject logic as a necessary means for gaining knowledge, so by what means do you believe knowledge is acquired?

Many means, observation, experience, education, etc. Logic is not a requirement.

I see that the sky is blue. No logic, it just is. I touch the fire, it hurts.


From where have you derived your concept of morality? (religion, philosophy, personal experience etc.)[/quote]

Yes, but I also believe that most people know the basics inherently. Most people does not include Charlie Manson or Jeff Dahmer.

 

[dogtowner]

Pandora and ASPCA,

Thank you both for answering the first group of questions, these next two questions are not multiple choice but should be the last two questions I need (your answers may require me to ask follow ups for clarity). Please answer in your own words and think of it as "in a perfect world" scenario, that is, what do you see as the ultimate goal of each:

1. What is governments role in society?

2. What is the individuals role in society?

Please be specific. For example, if you think governments role should be to promote equality, you need to specify what type of equality and to what extent.

Dogtowner, I still need you to clarify your answers from earlier but feel free to add your answers to those with these two questions in your reply.

1. Serve the people as defined in the Constitution which the people created.
2. Participant, observant of the law.

 

[BigRob]

Too easy... Your ideology is most notable for goose-stepping jack booted thugs with swastika armbands.

What?? haha.

I tease you my friend... Go ahead and answer the next two questions in the series.

1. What is governments role in society?

2. What is the individuals role in society?

In an attempt to answer both questions, the role of government in a society is to establish a framework in which citizens can enjoy the rights afforded to them by that society. Therefore, in the United States, the government should protect the rights enumerated by the Constitution, such as the right free speech, religion, the press, etc. It is not the role of government to micro-manage society to determine if individuals take full advantage of these rights, as that should be the responsibility of the individual. For example, on the issue of welfare, it is not the role of government to give all people a decent standard of living, but rather foster an environment in which all people can equally pursue employment to obtain this standard on their own.

 

[GenSeneca]

2. Participant

Please be more specific, in what way should an individual participate in society?

 

[dogtowner]

Please be more specific, in what way should an individual participate in society?

society is a collection of its participants or citizens.
they participate as they choose while being observant of the law.

that's as specific as it needs to be. we're talking principle here.

the law is derived from the people, the government enforces the law.

beyond that its all about freedom.