You get what you work for — that's how it should be
Each letter of the type code stands for the pole this type leans toward · neither pole is better than the other
Type distribution
4.52%As of August 5, 2026
These four axes build on well-established frameworks in political scienceHow we measure
The descriptions below are addressed to someone with this type.
Values markets, growth, and free competition
You believe that when individuals and businesses are free to act, society as a whole grows. You think competition and achievement should earn fair rewards, and that the state should step in only where it truly has to. You hope for a society where self-reliance and the energy of the market are alive and well.
Values national sovereignty, identity, and interest
You think of your own country's interests and identity before anything else. You believe protecting its sovereignty and security comes before the demands of the international community, and you treasure what has long been safeguarded. You hope your country engages with the world while holding firmly to what is its own.
Values social order, safety, and the authority of the state
You value a society that runs safely and in good order. You believe that protecting the community calls for a degree of discipline and strong public authority, and a sense of stability matters a great deal to you. You hope for a society where shared rules and good order let everyone feel at ease.
Values tradition, stability, and proven customs
You give weight to values and customs that have stood the test of time. You prefer a gradual, steady path to abrupt change, and you cherish your community's traditions and pride. You hope for a society that moves forward at a measured pace while holding on to what has proven its worth.
A fun look at real historical figures mapped onto the four axes — not an academic classification
He trusted the workings of the market and defended his nation's traditional community, making good order the foundation of everything — a champion of customs and institutions proven across generations.
Painting: Studio of Joshua Reynolds, c. 1769 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
She grew her nation's wealth through maritime trade and defended England's interest among great powers — choosing stability over upheaval, grounded in royal authority and the traditional order of the established church.
Painting: Unidentified artist (Darnley Portrait), c. 1575 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
A society where the person who waited in line all night isn't pushed aside by someone cutting in, where the one who followed the rules isn't overtaken by the one who took a shortcut, and where what was built up in earnest doesn't collapse overnight. For that order to hold, this view says, there has to be a sturdy fence, and principles that don't waver.
Underneath these hopes is a sense that tradition is not simply what's old, but what has endured. So this stance trusts what has passed the test of time more than the shiny new. But there is a price: the prudence that puts verification first preserves a great deal, yet this stance always carries with it the risk of missing the one change that was the real thing.
Progressive on 0 of the four axes, conservative on 4 — each axis can lean its own way.
The progressive–conservative label is a rough guide based on how this test defines its axes.
