Nolan Survey

From Libertarian Wiki

The Nolan Survey transcends the traditional left-right dichotomy of liberal vs. conservative by introducing two dimensions. One dimension is support for personal freedoms, the other is support of economic freedoms.

The chart is usually shown as a diamond, with libertarians who support all freedom on top, conservatives who support economic but not personal freedom at the right, liberals who support personal but not economic freedom on the left, and authoritarians who don't support freedom at the bottom.

Many people prefer the term "Survey" to the widely used "Quiz" because quizzes are scary.

The Questions

Where do you fit on the political map?

Personal Liberties: Do you agree with the following statements (Yes, Maybe, No)?	Y	M	N
Military should be voluntary (there should be no draft).
Government should not control Radio, the Press, TV or the Internet.
There should not be regulations on sex between consenting adults.
End the drug wars; let adults (we're not talking about kids here) decide for themselves.
I should be allowed to own and carry a gun.
Total (20 for Y, 10 for M, 0 for N)

Economic Liberties: Do you agree with the following statements (Yes, Maybe, No)?	Y	M	N
All businesses and farms should operate without government subsidies.
People are better off with free trade than with tariffs; have open markets.
End minimum wage laws; they make unemployment worse.
End taxes; pay for all services with user fees.
Foreign aid should be privately funded.
Total (20 for Y, 10 for M, 0 for N)

Explanation of score

Libertarians believe government's only purpose is to protect people from coercion and violence. They value individual responsibility, and tolerate economic and social diversity.

Left-Liberals prefer liberty in personal matters and central decision-making on economics. They want government to serve the disadvantaged in the name of fairness.

Centrists are middle of the road people who believe in compromise.

Right-Conservatives prefer liberty on economic issues, but want official standards in personal matters. They want the government to defend the community from threats to its moral fiber.

Authoritarians believe in strong government in order to advance society through expert central planning.