Interesting! I was:

1. Paleoconservative

2. Paleo-libertarian

3. Centrist

4. Conservative

5. Libertarian

6. Radical

7. Neoconservative

8. Liberal

9. Left-libertarian

10. Third Way

How did I get more centrist and less conservative than you, John? How annoying!

Well, I’m more conservative than either of you!

#1 Paleoconservative

#2 Conservative

#3 Paleo-libertarian

#4 Neoconservative

#5 Centrist

#6 Liberal

#7 Libertarian

#8 Radical

#9 Third Way

#10 Left-libertarian

:)

My full results:

#1 Paleoconservative

#2 Paleo-libertarian

#3 Conservative

#4 Libertarian

#5 Radical

#6 Left-libertarian

#7 Neoconservative

#8 Centrist

#9 Liberal

#10 Third Way

I duly report my results (as if there were any doubt). However, I’m disturbed by the word ‘liberal’ (#7) used in connection with me in any way. Sneaky, indeed.
1)Paleoconservative
2)Paleo-libertarian
3)Conservative
4)Neoconservative
5)Centrist
6)Libertarian
7)Liberal
8)Third Way
9)Left-libertarian
10)Radical

One thing I found interesting about the test was the tripartite division of the libertarians. We had a libertarian movement in Sydney in the 1950s and 60s, from which issued forth Germaine Greer and a host of other lefties, but libertarianism isn’t really an organised political movement in Australia anymore. From what I’ve observed libertarianism in America seems mostly to be of a right wing variety. Is it really possible to distinguish between paleolibertarians, libertarians and left libertarians in American politics?

In terms of organised political currents in Australia, I’d say we have radical liberal, left liberal, right liberal, plus a kind of populist conservatism. Right liberalism is sometimes combined with a procedural conservatism in a way that’s hard to disentangle.

While I thought the test was amusing in a Cosmo “rate your mate” kind of way, I don’t know how useful it is at defining your place in the political spectrum. Some of the issues presented seemed to beg a rather two dimensional analysis and what was most amusing is the links provided to give an example of the kind of political thought represented by the label. While Cato represented libertarian and Tom Pain represented Conservative, the centrist took you to the Onion. That fact seems to betray some built in bias.

The divisions within libertarianism have to do with issues like race, sex and religion that a libertarian government supposedly doesn’t deal with, with the paleos, generics and leftists among the libertarians taking the rightist, mainstream and leftist views of those issues. None of the groups has much presence in practical politics although their ideas get spread around quite a lot especially on the internet.

Well, I certainly ranked a bit differently:

#1 Conservative
#2 Neoconservative
#3 Centrist
#4 Libertarian
#5 Paleoconservative
#6 Paleo-libertarian
#7 Third Way
#8 Left-libertarian
#9 Liberal
#10 Radical

My ranking is as follows:
#1 Paleoconservative
#2 Conservative
#3 Neoconservative
#4 Centrist
#5 Paleo-libertarian
#6 Libertarian
#7 Liberal
#8 Radical
#9 Left-libertarian
#10 Third Way

MJK’s ranking:
#1 Paleoconservative
#2 Paleo-libertarian
#3 Conservative
#4 Radical
#5 Liberal
#6 Neoconservative
#7 Left-libertarian
#8 Centrist
#9 Libertarian
#10 Third Way

Matt’s:

#1 Paleoconservative
#2 Conservative
#3 Neoconservative
#4 Paleo-libertarian
#5 Centrist
#6 Libertarian
#7 Liberal
#8 Radical
#9 Third Way
#10 Left-libertarian

Interestingly there was no “regular guy” in the results :)

Selectsmart has this “What kind of Socialist are you? Selector” which links over to an explanation in the “Red Dictionary”. I think it could be interesting if some of the more informed readers and writers on the board made a “What kind of Conservative are you?” Selector. Paleos and neos are not the only kinds of conservatives or are they? Are there shades of Burke or de Maistre in anyone’s thought? Etc.