The traditional Left-Right Spectrum
Q8. What is the Nolan Chart?
The Nolan chart is a visual representation of the political spectrum that measures not only liberal
vs conservative tendencies but also libertarian and statist tendencies.
The original Nolan chart
The Nolan chart was originally created by libertarian political scientist David Nolan, who was
also the lead founder of the Libertarian Party. He correctly realized that limiting analysis of
political opinions to merely their liberality or conservativeness does not adequately account for
all political viewpoints. By reorienting personal freedom issues along the "Y" axis and economic
issues along the "X" axis, he created a two dimensional chart that is much more accurate and meaningful
when analyzing a particular person's political viewpoint. This makes the Nolan chart's two-dimensional
approach a much more accurate representation of the political spectrum than the typical one-dimensional
left-to-right line most political analysts refer to.
The Advocates for Self Government chart
The chart was modified by Marshall Fritz, who founded the
Advocates for Self-Government and who also created and
popularized the World's Smallest Political Quiz based on the chart in the early 1980s. His modification
was to take the original Nolan chart (which was displayed as a square) and turn it 45º counter-clockwise
to make the chart into a diamond shape and add a 10 question "quiz." Our own version of the chart
uses the same diamond orientation. Fritz's World's Smallest Political Quiz is used to this day by
the Advocates, and their quiz has been taken by millions of people.
Our own 10 question survey is somewhat influenced by the Advocates' quiz, but it's also quite
different. Our survey uses its own, modified version of the Nolan Chart, its own methodology, and
its own questions and options. We've also gone to a four option approach for each question rather
than the more simplified three option approach that the Advocates use. The Advocates' quiz asks
simply whether you agree, are neutral, or disagree with particular libertarian positions. Our own
survey takes a different approach, attempting to briefly lay out and label libertarian, conservative,
liberal, and statist positions on each of the questions asked. Centrist positions are presumed to
reside somewhere in the middle of these four camps. We also label each position for each of our
columnists to make it clear which camp each one represents.
Our survey is literally a survey rather than a quiz. We're not trying
to discover what your understanding and knowledge is about an issue such as a quiz does. Instead,
we're trying to identify what your position on that issue is, regardless of your knowledge level.
Nor is our survey intended to be a poll or to have the accuracy of a poll. It is simply a survey...nothing
more...nothing less.
Our own version of the Nolan chart
Our version of the chart adds a further innovation. While Mr. Nolan divided the X and Y axes
up as measures of economic liberty and personal liberty, we've decided to downplay that aspect.
As of 2007 when nolanchart.com was founded,
much of conservative and liberal thought has blurred these distinctions to the point where neither
side tends to support any significant degree of either personal or economic liberty. Dark shades
of gray have (unfortunately) replaced any remaining tendrils of advocacy of liberty and individual
rights within the conservative and liberal movements. Instead, our version of the chart emphasizes
the libertarian, conservative, liberal, statist, and centrist regions, in order to show that what
conservatives and liberals advocate is only a small piece of the overall political universe and
that ideas regarding alternatives are more readily available than many people might otherwise believe.
Furthermore, our survey questions reflect (we hope) the post 9/11 issues that are most important
to people.
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