1. The Political Spectrum
Where do you stand?

2. What is a Political Continuum?
A value line which measures political beliefs
Your views on issues determine where you fall.
Ask students to look for the root word of the term “continuum.” (Continue)

3. Factors That Determine Placement
Three major factors shape political views:
how much change a person is willing to have within their society and government.
how much government involvement in the economy a person calls for.
how much freedom from government authority a leader is willing to give the people
These factors place a person somewhere on a grid, which can be used to measure where a person stands in relation to each other and the issues.

4. Political Labels
To see where you stand, you would have to figure out where you stand on a number of social (people-related), economic (money-related), and political (governmental) issues.

5. Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King
What is a Liberal?
believe the government should be actively involved in the promotion of social welfare
call for peaceful, gradual change within the existing political system.
reject violent revolution as a way of changing the way things are
Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King

6. What is a Radical? far left on the political spectrum
call for wide-sweeping rapid change in the basic structure of the political, social, or economic system.
willing to resort to extreme methods to bring about change, including the use of violence and revolution.
V.I. Lenin: Mastermind of the Russian Revolution and Father of the Soviet Union

7. Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) is generally seen as a moderate.
What is a Moderate?
share viewpoints with both liberals and conservatives.
seen as tolerant of other people’s views, do not hold extreme views of their own.
advocate a “go-slow” or “wait-and-see” approach to social or political change.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) is generally seen as a moderate.

8. What is a Conservative? favor maintaining that status quo
usually hesitant or cautious about adopting new policies, especially if they involve government activism in some way.
feel that the less government there is, the better.
agree with Jefferson’s view that “the best government governs least.”
Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) is widely regarded as the father of the modern conservative movement

9. Hitler’s Mein Kampf is a typical reactionary manifesto
What is a Reactionary?
far right of the ideological spectrum, want to go back to the way things were—the “good ol’ days.”
are willing to use extreme methods, such as repressive use of government power, to achieve their goals.
The term “reactionary is generally negative.
Hitler’s Mein Kampf is a typical reactionary manifesto

10. The Political Spectrum

11. American Politicians on the Spectrum
Here is how one website places important American political figures on the spectrum. You can take the quiz at