In our debates, we tend to focus a lot on issues - being for or against public healthcare, for or against the Iraq War, for or against gay marriage, ect. We don't often consider the worldview that gives rise to these beliefs.
This is a simple way of comparing our beliefs on fundamental issues. Of the following options, choose the one which best describes your beliefs.
Each category provides, in general, answers to the following questions:
What is your view on human nature?
What is the worst case scenario?
What is society?
What is the role of Government?
How should the economy operate?
You believe that:
1) People are autonomous individuals and are generally rational and capable of making their own way in life. They have a right to freedom, and tyranny and oppression is the worst situation that they can find themselves in. Society is simply a union of individuals. Government is a necessary evil, and is required to protect citizen’s security and enforce their agreements with each other. The economy works best as a free market.
2) People are autonomous individuals and are generally rational and capable of making their own way in life, although they may require some assistance. They have a right to freedom, and tyranny and oppression is the worst situation that they can find themselves in. Society is basically a union of individuals. Government does serve a necessary function, protecting citizen’s freedoms, enforcing their agreements and providing services that would not otherwise be supplied. However, private ownership is preferable to public. The economy works best as a market, although some regulation is necessary.
3) People are individuals and are generally rational and capable of making their own way in life, although everyone needs some assistance. They have a right to freedom, and tyranny and oppression is the worst situation that they can find themselves in. However, being in a disadvantaged situation results in just as much oppression as does being in a situation of direct coercion. Government is necessary to protect citizens, protect their rights and to give them a hand up when they need it. Private ownership is desireable, but public ownership is necessary in some cases. The economy works best as a market, although regulation is necessary to protect the citizens and/or environment. Generally, a peaceful foreign policy is desirable.
4) People have rationality and individuality, but are also basically good and social. It is necessary to balance the rights of the individual with the rights of the collective. Therefore, the Government must protect the citizens but also ensure that they are free from the evils of poverty, squalor and discrimination. Public ownership is necessary for natural monopolies. A market economy is necessary, although it must be regulated to make it work more equitably and/or in a more environmentally friendly way. Generally, a peaceful foreign policy is desirable.
5) People are essentially good and social, but in danger of being duped by oppressive systems and vulnerable to exploitation. They have a right to a certain standard of living, and serious inequality or oppression by more powerful groups is the worst situation society can find itself in. The Government must enforce citizen’s rights to their standard of living. Most industries and assets should be publicly owned, although a limited market is helpful. Generally, a peaceful foreign policy is desirable.
6) People are essentially good and social, but in danger of being duped by oppressive systems and vulnerable to exploitation. They have a right to a certain standard of living, and serious inequality is the worst situation society can find itself in. The Government must enforce citizen’s rights to their standard of living, and is justified in taking strict measures to do so. The economy should be planned to ensure the most efficient and equitable outcome, and all means of production should be publicly owned and operated.
7) People are fundamentally good and social, but in danger of being duped by oppressive systems and very vulnerable to exploitation. Society is typically divided between the oppressed and the oppressors, and only when the first overthrow the second will a good outcome be achieved and an ideal society attained. In this society, Government will be unnecessary as people will work together to achieve their ends, and nation states will not exist. A revolution will be necessary to achieve this.
8 ) People naturally fall into a pre-ordained hierarchy, and society works best when everyone knows their place and fills it. Society is an organic entirety that follows a natural development and forms a natural order. Social decay leading to anarchy is the worst case scenario. Government, preferably under a stable hereditary monarchy and supported by religious institutions, is essential to ensure that society does not decay and to protect citizens, and there are mutual rights and responsibilities running throughout it. The market is the natural way of distributing goods, and the ability to own private property is an essential right which leads to stability.
9) People are basically rational, but also prone to moral wickedness. Society is an organic entirety that follows a natural development and forms a natural order. Social decay leading to anarchy or oppression is the worst case scenario, and people’s peace and freedom are threatened by collectivism. Government is essential to ensure that society does not decay and to protect citizens, and there are mutual rights and responsibilities running throughout it. Generally, a small Government economically and a fairly isolationist foreign policy is preferable. Policy should be tried, tested and pragmatic. The market is the natural way of distributing goods, and the ability to own private property is an essential right which leads to a stability.
10) People are basically rational, but also prone to moral wickedness. Society is basically a union of individuals, but it is also an organic entirety. Social decay leading to anarchy or oppression is the worst case scenario, and society is under threat from the advocates of big Government and social permissiveness, both of which damage the way it naturally functions. Government is essential to ensure that society does not decay and to protect citizens, and there are mutual rights and responsibilities running throughout it. Generally, a small Government is preferable, although big Government can be necessary at times. Sometimes, an aggressive foreign policy is in the national or global interest. The market is the natural way of distributing goods, and the ability to own private property is an essential right, although it may, realistically, need some regulation.
