A degree of political confusion
Hello all. It’s been a while hasn’t it? I had my first night at home with no meetings and no social engagements since 16 January last night, and funnily enough I didn’t choose to spend it blogging, though I did catch a little of this Party Animals television programme everyone is so excited about.
So, perhaps the readers of this blog can help with a little confusion I have. As you know, most of my politics have gone out of the window since becoming a councillor (a fact Giles so amusingly picked up on in his local-pol-goss column in the Oxford Mail). In NUS, I was variously used to being called a Trot (in the unique Labour Students sense of “I don’t agree with you, and your ideas are a cigarette paper to the left of mine or otherwise unauthorised” as opposed to the ice-pick sense) and a fake-left careerist (particularly nice phrase that - I rather like the implications that there are real left careerists). But recently, given real enemies to deal with (!) in the council chamber, the degree of political self-analysis has slowed somewhat.
But still, comrades, I am confused. Let me explain.
Ben Harris’ PoliticsForum quiz tells me:
Overall, the PoliticsForum quiz considers you a socially-orientated, materialist, big-government, internationalist, controlled-market kind of person, who also seems quite Marxist.
These characteristics would put you in the overall category of Marxist. Your natural home at PoliticsForum would be the Communism area.
That puzzled me slightly. I was further perturbed by Voltaire’s Priest including me in her (his?) denunciation of Cruddas suppporters as “he allegedly left-wing (although I can’t quite see how) Antonia Bance”. And then my confusion is compounded by Paul Burgin listing me as a “right wing libertarian” (though I think the intention is humorous). Oh well. Back to the detail. Hope to see some of you at the Local Government and Equalities conference in Hackney on Saturday.
I hasten to add it was humourous Antonia. I was making a joke about an alternative Universe where bloggers were the opposite to what they are politically or theologically. Hence Iain Dale was mentioned as a Labour Party activist
Local Government and Equalities Conference? Is that for Councillors? I’m intrigued.
I too had the pleasure (?) of being name checked by Voltaires Priest. As to why, only he (or she) knows….
That political quiz had me as a moderate social conservative or somesuch. (I was a bit surprised.)
Apparently 0% of test takers were more controlled market than me.
“socially-orientated, big-government, protectionist, controlled-market kind of person, who also seems quite Marxist.”
Chris, I was a ‘borderline social conservative’ too. It seems to be because I’m an authoritarian and not an internationalist. I was 41% Marxist though.
I was a Commie (on this test if by no other measure), like Tim F
I’m: Overall, the PoliticsForum quiz considers you a socially-orientated, big-government, controlled-market kind of person.
These characteristics would put you in the overall category of borderline social conservative. Your natural home at PoliticsForum would be the Conservatism area.
How does big government, controlled market, social orentation make me a conservative?
It told me I was a socially-orientated, materialist, internationalist, free-trade, controlled-market kind of person.
“These characteristics would put you in the overall category of socialist.”
which is reassuring!
Chris - I find myself thinking of Oxford dons, and MacIntyre’s notions of practices embodying and sustaining traditions, and smiling at the idea that you are a moderate social conservative. Forgive me.
A Communist as well, it seems! “Overall, the PoliticsForum quiz considers you a socially-orientated, materialist, big-government, internationalist, protectionist, controlled-market kind of person, who also seems quite Marxist.” Like Tim F, 0% of test takers were more controlled market than me.
Overall, the PoliticsForum quiz considers you a socially-orientated, materialist, internationalist, free-trade, kind of person, who doesn’t sound like a Marxist.
These characteristics would put you in the overall category of socialist. Your natural home at PoliticsForum would be the Socialism area.
Very reassuring indeed! (although slightly contradictory)
“How does big government, controlled market, social orentation make me a conservative?” - Duncan Weldon
A Gaullist perhaps?
Bloody hell Antonia, if “allegedly left wing” is the wildest “denunciation” you’ve ever had, then you really haven’t been in too many political dogfights, have ya?
I don’t know how things work at Oxford University SU, or in the OUSU alumnus association (AKA Oxford City Council), but where I’m from “allegedly left wing” means “says she’s a leftie but I can’t see how”. It’s neither an insult nor an assertion, merely an observation. Furthermore it’s not an opinion that’s set in stone either.
Frankly, you weren’t the main subject of conversation in that post anyway (it was about pseudo-leftie Jon Cruddas). So please, no more talk of “denunciations” where none exist.
Duncan Weldon:
Social conservative, big-government, given to interfering in the market with protectionist tarrifs, taxes and subsidies? Sounds rather like one G. W. Bush to me.
Tim - Yes, thanks for that.
[The one time I heard MacIntyre lecture, he said in the discussion period that (and I paraphrase from a decade-old memory): "People think I changed when I renounced Marxism for Augustinian Christianity. But I still think that a necessary prerequisite for meaningful social change is that we hang the rich from lamp-posts."]
[...] Another political position quiz Via Antonia [...]