12 Axes vs 8values: which political test should you take?
Both tests ask you to agree or disagree with statements and then score your political values. 8values is short and well known. 12 Axes splits the same ground into finer scales. Here is how they compare.
The quick answer
Take 8values if you want a fast, familiar result with four simple axes. It is a single test of about 70 statements, and it is free and open source.
Take 12 Axes if you want more detail. It scores 12 separate axes, lets you pick a test length, and matches you to ideologies, a historical twin and current politicians. Many people take both and compare.
What each test measures
8values describes itself as a political quiz that gives percentage scores for eight political values. They come in four pairs: Equality and Markets, Nation and Globe, Liberty and Authority, Tradition and Progress. The site calls the four pairs the Economic, Diplomatic, Civil and Society axes.
12 Axes scores 12 separate axes, each from -100 to +100. They sit in four families: Economy, State, Society and World. Each family holds three or four axes, so one broad question becomes several narrower ones.
The ideas behind both tests are close. Neither one is a neutral measure of truth. Both are tools for describing where your views sit.
How the axes line up
Our four families cover similar ground to the four 8values axes. The difference is how finely each one is cut.
8values has one Economic axis, running from Equality to Markets. We split Economy into three: Ownership (public or private), Markets (planned or free) and Welfare (shared or self-reliant). Someone can favor free markets and still back a strong safety net, and three scales can show that.
8values has one Civil axis, from Liberty to Authority. Our State family splits it into Authority (democratic or strong leader), Security (liberty or order) and Structure (local or central power).
8values has one Society axis, from Tradition to Progress. Our Society family has four scales: Morality, Religion, Technology and Culture. For example, you can be progressive on family life and still cautious about new technology.
8values has one Diplomatic axis, from Nation to Globe. Our World family splits it into Trade (global or protected) and Foreign policy (cooperation or strength).
Length and answer format
8values has one version. When we counted the statements in its public source file, we found 70. You answer each one from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree.
12 Axes has three lengths. Quick has 36 statements and takes about 5 minutes. Standard has 72 and takes about 10. Deep has 162 and takes about 20. Answers use a 5-point scale: Strongly disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree and Strongly agree.
So Standard is close to 8values in length, Quick is about half as long, and Deep is more than twice as long. More statements per axis give a steadier score.
What the results look like
8values compares your answers with the maximum possible for each value and shows a percentage for all eight. It also names a closest-match ideology. The site itself says that match is a work in progress and less accurate than the value scores.
12 Axes shows a score from -100 to +100 on each of the 12 axes, grouped by family. It also shows your closest ideologies out of about 124, a historical twin, current politicians and a four-letter result type. It is free, and you do not need an account.
Strengths of each test
8values is faster at its one length, and it is far better known. Its four axes are easy to read and easy to share, so you can compare scores with friends and online communities. Its code is open source under the MIT licence, which lets others study it, adapt it and build on it. Other quizzes, including 9axes, grew from it.
12 Axes is stronger on detail. Twelve scales separate views that one axis would blur together. You can choose a short or long test. The results add a historical twin, current politicians and a result type, and every statement has a neutral explainer behind it.
Be aware of the trade-off. More axes and more statements mean more to read. If you only want a quick snapshot, 8values does that well.
Which one should you choose?
Pick 8values for speed, for familiarity, or to compare with the many results people post online. Pick 12 Axes if the four broad axes feel too blunt, or if you want to see which part of a family pulls you in a different direction.
A good plan is to take 8values first, then Standard or Deep on 12 Axes. Look at where the two disagree. Those gaps often show where a single axis was hiding a split in your views.
12 Axes is independent. It is not affiliated with 8values.
Try the 12 Axes test: free, 5 to 20 minutes.
FAQ
Is 12 Axes the same as 8values?
No. They are separate tests with different statements and different scoring. They cover similar ground, but 12 Axes splits it into 12 finer axes. We are not affiliated with 8values.
Which test is shorter?
The 12 Axes Quick test is shorter, with 36 statements. 8values has about 70 statements in one version. The 12 Axes Standard test has 72, so it is about the same length.
Is 8values open source?
Yes. The 8values code is on GitHub under the MIT licence.
Why do I get different results on each test?
The statements, the axes and the scoring differ. A single axis can also hide mixed views that a finer scale shows. Small differences are normal. Large ones are worth a look.
Are both tests free?
Yes. 12 Axes is free and needs no account. 8values is a free public quiz.