THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM

1. THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

2. ARE YOU LEFT, RIGHT OR MODERATE?

3. LEFT OF MODERATE Liberal – (Left) • Government should play a big role in “social reform” and well-being. • Focus on issues such as poverty, education, and environment • Favor change; sometimes called “progressive” Examples: Democrats, Green Party

4. RIGHT OF MODERATE Conservative (Right Wing) • Government should stay out of the lives of citizens and businesses. • Exception: Moral issues/”family values” • Example: Abortion, Gay Marriage • Favor status quo • Resistant to change • Want to work within system • Examples: Republican, Reform

5. MODERATE Moderate (Middle) • Opinions fall between left and right • Tolerant of multiple view points • Not extreme about issues Example: Independent, Undeclared

6. Far Left Radical (Far Left)… • Favor fundamental changes • Want to reverse the domination of the wealthy over poor • Often support highly centralized government • Want a total overhaul of the system Example: Communist

7. Far Right Reactionary (Far Right) • Advocate return to a historical system. • Very traditional views on who should have power. • Often very religious, moralistic and/or ideological. • Will use extreme measures (such as violence) to reinforce laws power. Examples: Dictatorships, Absolute Monarchies, Oligarchies (e.g. Taliban)

9. TAKE A MOMENT TO APPLY THIS NEW IDEA… • Imagine that your house is a country and your parents are the leaders. What type of leaders are they? • Radical • Liberal • Moderate • Conservative • Reactionary • Explain your choice in one sentence. Then… share your response with a neighbor.

11. DRAW IT… The next few slides show different sides of important issues. Make a two column table and draw symbols that represent positions on each side of the political spectrum.

12. MORALITY/IDEOLOGIES…

13. PROBLEMS IN SOCIETY

14. ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

15. RIGHTS

16. Think-Pair-Share Which side (liberal or conservative) would be most likely to send their country to war? Why do you think that? • Think about your answer • Pair up with a neighbor • Share your responses

17. The train station analogy… • Rex Tugwell, an advisor to president Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), said that different attitudes toward change characterize differentpolitical philosophies. He wrote that if a community needed a new train station (or education reform, crime control, etc.)…

18. Fill in the blank with: radical, liberal, conservative, or reactionary “__________ would rebuild the station while the trains are still running, __________ prefer to blow up the train station and forgo service until the new structure is built, __________ would prefer to keep the old station, being satisfied with it, while __________ would abandon the station entirely since they do not approve of trains in the first place.”

19. REFLECTION Finish the following thoughts: • I agree that... • What I learned made me think of… • I feel… about what I learned today. • I am still wondering…

20. Other Resources… • http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernmentandlaw/politicalbeliefs/preview.weml • http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs/