# The Straight Dope Political Census, Vol. 1: Outside the U.S. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 1, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977 "2003-09-01T16:15:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/1 "2003-09-01T16:15:24Z")
The following poll is reserved for foreign nationals. 1. Which of the common terms for ideological beliefs would apply to you, and 2. What political party are you a member of? ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/2 "2003-09-01T18:15:02Z")
What are those common terms? Isn’t “ideological belief” a pleonasm? ---
**Author:** ![Optihut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/edb3f5/32.png) [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/3 "2003-09-02T00:20:50Z")
1. I think people would refer to me as heart bleeding liberal 😉 2. None. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/4 "2003-09-02T00:33:53Z")
Socially libertarian, fiscally conservative, and Green. I have a heck of a time on election day. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/5 "2003-09-02T01:01:54Z")
Socially liberal, fiscally conservative. Moderately so. I do not belong to a political party. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/6 "2003-09-02T04:05:39Z")
As someone who moved to the US from Australia a few years ago, i’d just like to point out something that some Americans may not be aware of. Countries like Australia and Britain, which follow the Westminster system of government, do not have the same type of political participation as America. There is no real equivalent in the Westminster system of the American primary system, whereby candidates are chosen by large numbers registered party members. The candidate selection process tends to be a much more closely-controlled process in Australia, and far fewer people are official, registered members of a political party. Even those who are closely committed to a particular party are, generally speaking, not an official member of that party. Despite this, however, both Britain and Australia have election turnout rates considerably higher than those of the United States. Britain’s 2001 general election had a turnout of just over 59%, which was historically low, down from about 71% in the 1997 election. But even this 59% level is considerably higher than the turnout in recent American elections. Australian election turnout is usually around the 94-96% mark, assisted by the fact that voting is compulsory: "You **will** exercise your democratic right!\*\* 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/7 "2003-09-02T04:40:11Z")
1-Progressive 2-None. Don’t believe in politicians. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/8 "2003-09-02T06:09:15Z")
Me? My mind is a sea of conservatism with a few islands of Left here and there. I believe people should take responsibility for their own actions, and that the world isn’t perfect. I don’t think we should fix things that ain’t broke, but we can still look for ways to improve ourselves. I loathe prejudice and political correctness equally. I would probably never join a political party. No party is 100% correct all the time, and I don’t want to throw away my right to cross the floor. For a long time, I have voted for the conservative coalition in Australia, and were I an American, I’d probably have voted Republican the last few elections. However, no party gets my vote blindly. I’d have no problem voting for a party further left in any given election if I believed their policies were better. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/9 "2003-09-02T09:45:52Z")
I’d be best classified as a social democrat with conservative leanings when the economy is concerned (that is, leave the market alone as much as possible, when it doesn’t harm people to do so). Bear in mind, that’s “social democrat” on the _Dutch_ political scale, which would probably put me in the extreme left tofu-eating corner in the US. 😃 I’m a member of _Democraten 66_, the Dutch democratic party. They’re slightly left-of-the-middle, trying to combine a healthy economy (meaning a well-structured education system, a social welfare system that encourages people to work again, a progressive tax system, and a minimum of subsidies to companies) with a rich culture (subsidies in arts), a healthy environment, and as much direct influence on the government as possible (referenda, etc.). My party is currently in government (together with the Christian Democrats and the Liberals, who really should be called “Conservatives”), but they unfortunately play a small role, seeing as “we” only have 7 out of 150 seats in the house right now. I’ve always voted for this party, ever since I turned 18. I became a member when I was about 20. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/10 "2003-09-02T09:54:19Z")
What **RickJay** said, though I should say I do believe there should be state-funded provision for basic services such as health and education. I don’t really get the polarization exhibited on these boards re. liberal/conservative - I believe it is possible to cherry-pick sensible policies from each philosophy. ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/11 "2003-09-02T09:55:06Z")
I generally vote Liberal Democrat. I’d describe myself as centrist. I believe in indiviual responsibilty and freedoms protected by healthy government. Not a member of a party and never expect to be one. Have taken a solemn vow to never, ever vote Tory though. I will never forgive them for Thatcher. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/12 "2003-09-02T10:07:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GSV Consolation of Dreams \* > I generally vote Liberal Democrat. I’d describe myself as centrist. Yes, but it might be worth mentioning the British and European ‘centre’ is no where near the Amercian ‘centre’ . ---
**Author:** ![sickboy51](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@sickboy51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sickboy51)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/13 "2003-09-02T10:29:15Z")
I find that certain words about politics have different meanings in USA and Europe. As an example, while “liberal” is something 2on the left" in USA, it means “right winger” in Europe (at least in Spain. I tend to the left myself, but as I am aging I´m turning into a right-winged bastard. I don´t belong to a political party, anyway, my best friend does and I´m a litte into the Socialist Party (my firend´s party). ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/14 "2003-09-02T10:51:36Z")
Right-winged? So you fly around in small circles? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sickboy51](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@sickboy51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sickboy51)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/15 "2003-09-02T11:01:36Z")
Yeah, as right winged people do 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/16 "2003-09-02T11:06:29Z")
Old-fashioned, but not doctrinaire, left-winger. Getting more left-wing as I grow older. Ten years from now, I will be Arthur Scargill. I’m not looking forward to it. Not a member of any political party. Especially not the Labour Party, which, under the leadership of that smirking amoral invertebrate currently parasitizing No. 10 Downing Street, has betrayed its principles and its heritage, and turned its back on social justice in order to curry favour with the plutocrats. Not that I feel strongly on this issue or anything. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/17 "2003-09-02T11:15:36Z")
Freedom for Tooting! ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/18 "2003-09-02T11:23:07Z")
Toot away! ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/19 "2003-09-02T11:23:40Z")
1. There _are_ no common terms. They all mean different things to different degrees in different countries. 2. None. Membership of a political party is not as big a deal in the UK as it is in the US. Usually it’s just the hard-core activists (or those who used to be) that are members of a party. ---
**Author:** ![curly\_chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@curly\_chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curly_chick)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977/20 "2003-09-02T11:33:08Z")
1. I would call myself a liberal, but others might not. 2. I belong to no political parties as all of the parties here seem to be on the same side and the proportional pepresentation system means, it seems to me, that a vote for an independent ends up in the big boys’ pockets. Of the smaller parties, the Labour party here aren’t _too_ bad and Sinn Fein do some good ground roots work for their constituents, but I can’t quite bring myself to vote for them. Funny that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope-political-census-vol-1-outside-the-u-s/198977.md?page=2)