Extreme Left Mussolini's Italy; Franco's Spain Nazi Germany under Hitler; Yugoslavia under Tito

Extreme Left Red China under Mao; the former USSR; Castro's Cuba; N. Korea Total Control over the Citizens

Left U.S. Democrat Party (Average Position) European Welfare States 

Right Rush Limbaugh; National Review; American Spectator; Young Americans for Freedom U.S. Republican Party (Average Position)

Extreme Right The Laissez-Faire Republic (No Meddling with Peaceful Citizens) U.S. Libertarian Party

Extreme Right Thomas Jefferson; U.S.A. prior to 1914 (no income tax, Less Federal Government, More Power to the States)

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Left: Jacobins-more radical than Girondins Commoners Wanted to abolish the monarchy and pushed for other radical changes. Advocated transformation of the constitutional monarchy into a federal republic

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Left The Left had three objects of enmity: first, King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette and the royal family; secondly, the émigrés, and thirdly, the clergy. Ardent proponents of radical revolutionary measures

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Left Left has been associated with ideology that is intended to favor "the masses."  The Left implied opposition to aristocratic or royal interests.

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Left of Center: Girondins Opposed government interference in the economy. More moderate than the Jacobins. Executed by the Jacobins.

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Left of Center Jacobins: eradicate the "enemy within" and secure the destiny of the revolution through the destruction of counter-revolutionary forces. By weeding out those who opposed the revolution, they could achieve their goals quickly and efficiently.

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Left of Center The Girondins were not so quick to agree with the Jacobins, and so political deadlock began to form in the Convention.

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Center: Plain Supporters of Moderate Reform Majority caucus which was without well-defined political opinions and consequently without initiative. The Plain, however, uniformly opposed the Republican factors that sat on the left, composed mainly of the Girondists.

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Right of Center Feuillants Constitutional Monarchists La Fayette

French Legislative Assembly 1791 Right Monarchists & Aristocrats They felt reform had gone far enough or even wanted to turn the clock back to 1788. Right has generally been associated with ideology that favors an elite social group The Right implied support for aristocratic or royal interests.

IDEOLOGY GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT RADICAL TOTAL

IDEOLOGY GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT LIBERAL MORE

IDEOLOGY GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT MODERATE SOME

IDEOLOGY GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT CONSERVATIVE LESS

IDEOLOGY GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT REACTIONARY BARE MINIMUM

IDEOLOGY SPEED OF CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT RADICAL RAPID

IDEOLOGY SPEED OF CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT LIBERAL GRADUAL

IDEOLOGY SPEED OF CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT MODERATE SLOW TO NO CHANGE

IDEOLOGY SPEED OF CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT CONSERVATIVE NO CHANGE

IDEOLOGY SPEED OF CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT REACTIONARY RETURN TO THE PAST

IDEOLOGY POLITICAL PARTIES RADICAL COMMUNIST SOCIALIST

IDEOLOGY POLITICAL PARTIES LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

IDEOLOGY POLITICAL PARTIES MODERATE INDEPENDENTS

IDEOLOGY POLITICAL PARTIES CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN

IDEOLOGY POLITICAL PARTIES REACTIONARY LIBERTARIANS

ISSUES TAXES RADICAL & LIBERAL High taxes for high level of government services. State control over economy.

ISSUES TAXES MODERATE Mixture of both sides depending on individual convictions and political expediency.

CONSERVATIVE & REACTIONARY ISSUES TAXES CONSERVATIVE & REACTIONARY Low taxes or large tax cuts. Reduction in government services and regulation.

Government subsidizes public education through college level. ISSUES EDUCATION RADICAL & LIBERAL Government subsidizes public education through college level.

CONSERVATE & REACTIONARY ISSUES EDUCATION CONSERVATE & REACTIONARY Government turns control to local agencies. Vouchers OK.

ISSUES DEFENSE RADICAL & LIBERAL Reduce government spending on military. Interventionist foreign policy.

CONSERVATE & REACTIONARY ISSUES DEFENSE CONSERVATE & REACTIONARY Increase spending on military readiness. Reduce U.S. involvement in world conflicts.

ISSUES ENVIRONMENT RADICAL & LIBERAL Regulate business to protect natural resources. Steer away from nuclear, coal, oil fuels.

CONSERVATE & REACTIONARY ISSUES ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATE & REACTIONARY Support exploration of federal land for new energy sources. Reduce government regulation.