Chapter 2 Political Spectrum

Point I  favours immediate and fundamental progressive change to the existing system  indicates varying degrees of dissatisfaction with the status quo.  argues that revolution (violent or nonviolent) is the only way to effect change in society.  challenges the basic values and institutions underlying society. Point II  is willing to change the existing system with progressive reforms.  respects the concept of law and attempts to change it through legal means.  remains optimistic about people's ability to solve their own problems.  maintains faith in human reason and basic equality. Point III  supports the status quo and advocates very little change to existing systems.  places great emphasis on the importance of maintaining traditional values and institutions.  has an essentially cautious view of people's ability to reason and solve problems.  favours less control over the individual and opposes governmental remedies to society's inequities. Point IV  supports policies that will return society to a previous time, condition or value system.  proposes retrogressive change to the status quo.  advocates any means of restoring society to a former state (either violent or nonviolent ).  reflects extreme dissatisfaction with existing institutions. A political spectrum is a system of classifying different political positions upon one or more geometric axes that symbolize independent political dimensions. Most long-standing spectra include a right wing and left wing, which originally referred to seating arrangements in the French parliament after the Revolution (1789–99). According to the simplest left–right axis, communism and socialism are usually regarded internationally as being on the left, opposite fascism and conservatism on the right. Liberalism can mean different things in different contexts, sometimes on the left (social liberalism), sometimes on the right (economic liberalism).

A Political Spectrum Liberals Conservatives Radicals Moderates Reactionaries l The Future l The Past Left Wing lRight Wing The Radical is quite impatient and would strongly support a revolution to bring about rapid, massive, progressive change. The Liberal is ready to move forward and accept change but would be considered a reformer rather than a revolutionary. The Conservative is generally satisfied with things the way they are and would maintain the status quo. The Reactionary desires fundamental change but wants to return to the past and restore the order of times remembered.

The “?” is represented by: A. Conservatism B. Liberalism C. Anarchism D. Collectivism

Radical: Seen as being on the far left of the political spectrum, radicals call for wide-sweeping rapid change in the basic structure of the political, social, or economic system. They may be willing to resort to extreme methods to bring about change, including the use of violence and revolution. Contemporary Liberal: Liberals believe that the government should be actively involved in the promotion of social welfare of a nation's citizens. Liberals usually call for peaceful, gradual change within the existing political system. They reject violent revolution as a way of changing the way things are, often called the status quo. Moderate: Moderates may share viewpoints with both liberals and conservatives. They are seen as tolerant of other people's views, and they do not hold extreme views of their own. They advocate a "go-slow" or "wait-and-see" approach to social or political change. Classical Liberal: A political ideology that developed in the 19th century in England, Western Europe, and the Americas. It is committed to the ideal of limited government and liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, and assembly, and free markets. Conservative: People who hold conservative ideals favor keeping things the way they are or maintaining the status quo if it is what they desire. Conservatives are usually hesitant or cautious about adopting new policies, especially if they involve government activism in some way. They feel that the less government there is, the better. They agree with Jefferson's view that "the best government governs least." Reactionary: Sitting on the far right of the ideological spectrum, reactionaries want to go back to the way things were-the "good ol' days." Often reactionaries are willing to use extreme methods, such as repressive use of government power, to achieve their goals.