March 12, 2004

Libertarian Purity Test
Posted by Jon Henke

This libertarian purity test has been making the rounds in the blogosphere. I took it twice, and got different scores: 45 and 56. The questions often leave some room for interpretation, I think.

At any rate, I'm right around the border between these categories:

31-50 points: Your libertarian credentials are obvious. Doubtlessly you will become more extreme as time goes on.

51-90 points: You are a medium-core libertarian, probably self-consciously so. Your friends probably encourage you to quit talking about your views so much.

I'd be interested to know your scores. Take the test and leave your results in the comments.

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Comments

I scored a 56. I guess we do think alike.

Posted by: John Rogers at March 12, 2004 11:57 AM

At 56, I seem to be following the pack. LOL

Posted by: LauraN at March 12, 2004 12:39 PM

I got a 48, slightly stronger than I expected.

Posted by: A fine scotch at March 12, 2004 12:47 PM

20 points: "You are a soft-core libertarian. With effort, you may harden and become pure."

Yikes! Am I still allowed to read your blog? :)

Posted by: bob at March 12, 2004 01:01 PM

119.

For what it's worth, there are collections of blogger scores here and here.

Myria

Posted by: Myria at March 12, 2004 01:05 PM

81 and I'm disappointed that its so low.

Posted by: McQ at March 12, 2004 01:52 PM

I scored 53.

Posted by: Scott at March 12, 2004 02:19 PM

Bob: You're still allowed to read, but you need to start reading more closely. :)

McQ: I'm a bit suprised we vary so widely, since we agree on so much. I wonder if we're approaching the questions differently. I answered them based on what I would change immediately. I suspect you answered based on your ideal changes.

If I were looking for an ideal, I might answer differently, but I'm not sure those ideals can be effectively or reasonable brought about.

If I'm being a bit vague - and I know I am - my apologies.

Posted by: Jon Henke at March 12, 2004 04:28 PM

Jon ... I mostly approached it from a practical POV. Frankly, I wasn't that impressed with the test because I don't live in a "yes or no" world. So, as I usually do, I found myself rejecting "all" or "never" answers ... because when I thought about them I couldn't say I'd want "all" or "none" to be true.

Had there been some mechanism for shades of gray (or to use Kerry's word, "nuance") my bet is my score would have been even higher.

As to us agreeing on so much, that is most likely the real world side v. the ideal side speaking. I'm a bit of a radical on the ideal side. ;)

Posted by: McQ at March 12, 2004 04:53 PM

I got an 83, which shouldn't be too bad for a philosophical anarchist with a pragmatist bent. ;->=

Posted by: JorgXMcKie at March 12, 2004 07:39 PM

Hmmm. 74. Of course, I've got a sneaky liking for the US Constitution -- the original version, that is....it's been going downhill since they struck that bit about "letters of marque and reprisal," and started reinterpreting the document to support more intrusive government. But I digress.

Posted by: cthulhu at March 12, 2004 08:47 PM

13. I guess I'm just too damn practical. A bunch of individual people enjoying their absolute rights without any social interaction isn't Utopia, fellas.

Loved the descriptions, though.

Posted by: Fred at March 12, 2004 09:11 PM

I scored a 106. It would have been higher had I taken it before Sept 01. Cutting the military budget during the War on Terror won't do.

Posted by: Frank Castle at March 12, 2004 11:33 PM

I agree with McQ's comment. I consider myself a "conservative of libertarian temperment" and thing that against their "all, 50% or nothing" questions that is just about right. If they had asked instead about "significant reductions" and left out the anti-interventionist stance I'd have scored much higher.

Come to think of it, isn't "libertarian purity" an oxymoron?

Posted by: triticale at March 13, 2004 08:55 AM