Slide Deck 9: The Political Spectrum and Political Parties

1. Slide Deck 9: The Political Spectrum and Political Parties

2. What is a political ideology? A political ideology is a set of shared ideas or beliefs about the role of government and how society should work.

3. What is the political spectrum? • The political spectrum provides a way tocharacterize and classify different political positions in relation to one another • A linear spectrum is represented as a horizontal line, with the left favouring social equality, government involvement and more social services, and the right favouring tradition, smaller government and lower taxes.

4. Multi-Dimension Political Spectrum When there is more than one axis, each represents a different political dimension or set of issues. ECONOMIC ISSUES • Horizontal axis SOCIAL/MORAL ISSUES • Vertical axis

5. Example: Economic Issue Question Which do you think is better and why? • Lower taxes, smaller government and less government services • Higher taxes, larger government and more government services

6. Example: Economic Issue Question Right-leaning Left-leaning Higher taxes, larger government and more government services Lower taxes, smaller government and less government services

7. Economic Issues • Canadians who are left-leaning on economic issues tend to support higher taxes and more government spending, more government involvement, and more social services. • Canadians who are right-leaning on economic issues tend to support low taxes and less government spending, less government intervention, and the free market. Right-leaning

8. Example: Social/Moral Which statement do you believe more strongly and why? • Society is not bound by tradition • Traditions provide security and stability and must be respected

9. Example: Social/Moral • Society is not bound by tradition Progressive • Traditions provide security and stability and must be respected Conservative

10. Social/Moral Issues Progressive • Canadians who are progressive on social issues tend to support policies that advocate the promotion of social justice issues by changing established practices and institutions. • Canadians who are conservative on social issues tend to support policies that advocate the preservation of traditional values and established institutions. Conservative

11. Two-Dimension Grid A political spectrum quiz will place you on grid based on where you sit on each political dimension.

12. Political Parties • A political party is made up of a group of people who share a similar political ideology and goals about society and government. • In order for the political party to have the chance to work towards its goals, the party tries to win an election and form government.

13. Canadian Political Parties Prior to the federal election, there were six parties represented in the House of Commons.

14. Reflection Questions