- a) What is the political spectrum?
A scale with one or more axes which classifies and compares political parties or ideologies. The X axis shows whether a political party is left or right winged, the Y axis on the other hand determines whether a political party is authoritarian or libertarian.
- b) What is the difference between left- and right-wing politics?
Left and right winged politics are centered around the involvement of the government within a society. The left-wing belief takes a liberal approach, which indicates that the government should be more immersed in the people’s affairs. Contrary to left winged beliefs, right winged politics advocate for individual rights and more civil liberties where the government is less involved.
- c) What is the difference between authoritarian and libertarian governments?
The authoritarian ideology indicates that the government will have greater authority and grant little freedom to their citizens. In an authoritarian regime it is assumed that the “higher power” knows what is best for the people, which restricts individualistic freedoms. Libertarian governments are exactly the opposite, they believe that every individual should be free to make their own decisions and express themselves how they want, as long as no one is hurt in the process. Government involvement is limited to actions that are beyond the citizens’ capabilities.
- d) Where does the government of Ingsoc and Big Brother fit along the political quadrant scale? Explain
The government of Ingsoc is clearly an authoritarian- right winged party. First, Big Brother gives their citizens little to no individual freedom. The outer party is not allowed to disagree with Big Brother, any action that indicates so could cost you your life. Any personal expression that isn’t deemed worthy is automatically punished. It is also a right winged society, because the minorities receive no help from the authorities whatsoever, the wellbeing of each person is up to them to deal with.