The Security axis: Liberty vs Order
This axis asks how to balance personal freedom and public safety. How much power should police and the state have over everyday life to keep order?
13 statements in the test score this axis. Agreeing with some moves you toward Liberty, with others toward Order.
What the Security axis measures
Security looks at the tools of public order: stop and search, cameras, data collection, punishment and limits on speech. Each one trades some freedom for some safety. This axis shows where you draw the line.
It also covers personal choices that the law could restrict, such as drug use. Scores run from -100 (fully Liberty) to +100 (fully Order).
Sample statements
These are real statements from the test. Each one is keyed to this axis, in one direction or the other.
“Everyone should have access to private messaging that even the government cannot read.”
“The government should collect as little personal data about citizens as possible.”
“Police should have more power to stop and search people they find suspicious.”
“Government monitoring of phone and internet activity is acceptable if it helps prevent terrorism.”
What the Liberty end means
People at the Liberty end believe that freedom is the starting point. The state must have a strong reason before it can watch, search or punish a person. They fear that powers given for good reasons can be misused later.
They also tend to think that treating people as adults works better than punishment. This can mean legal personal drug use, privacy for messages and a prison system that tries to rehabilitate. The 18th-century writer Cesare Beccaria argued against harsh punishment in this spirit.
- They tend to want strong privacy tools that officials cannot open.
- They often prefer the state to hold only the minimum data it truly needs.
- They usually favor education and support in prison over punishment alone.
- They often say grown adults should be trusted to run their own private lives.
Who sits at the Liberty end
- Emma Goldman-90
- Henry David Thoreau-85
- Peter Kropotkin-85
- Michel Foucault-80
- Mikhail Bakunin-80
- Ron Paul-80
What the Order end means
People at the Order end believe that safety is the first freedom. If people fear crime, they are not free. Clear laws, visible police and real penalties protect the many, especially in poorer areas that suffer most from crime.
They are often willing to give up some privacy in return for protection. Tools such as cameras and data can catch criminals and stop attacks. They hold that people with nothing to hide have little to fear from careful, lawful use of these tools.
- They tend to back more powers for officers to question and check people who seem suspect.
- They often accept digital monitoring when it is aimed at stopping serious attacks.
- They usually believe firm sentences deter would-be offenders.
- They often welcome camera networks and similar tools in busy public spaces.
Who sits at the Order end
- Deng Xiaoping+90
- Fidel Castro+90
- Carl Schmitt+85
- Joseph de Maistre+85
- Che Guevara+80
- Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco+80
Scores near the middle
A score near zero usually means you weigh each case. You may accept cameras in busy stations but not broad phone monitoring. You may back tough sentences for violent crime but want help for minor offenders. Many people hold views that vary with the type of crime and the safeguards in place.
Common mix-ups
Liberty means soft on crime. Not always. Many Liberty-leaning people want crime solved and punished. They just want strict limits on how the state does it, and fair trials.
Order means you want a police state. No. Order-leaning people usually want lawful, accountable police. They simply give more weight to safety and are more willing to accept tough tools.
Gun rights are an Order issue. In this test, the right to own a gun for self-defense counts toward Liberty, since it limits state control over personal choice. Others see gun control as an Order matter for public safety. The axis scores it as a freedom question.
How it relates to other axes
Authority: Security is about how the state treats individuals. Authority is about how power at the top is limited. A government can face tough checks from courts yet still run strict policing.
Structure: Security is about the rules on policing and freedom. Structure is about who sets them. Some want local communities to control their own police, while others want one national standard.
FAQ
Is a high Order score right-wing?
Order is often linked with the right, but not always. Some on the left back strong rules on things like hate speech or online content. The axis only measures the liberty and order trade-off.
Is Liberty the same as libertarian?
Not quite. Libertarians usually score Liberty here, but many people on the left also score Liberty on privacy and civil rights. The axis does not cover economics.
Can I be Liberty on drugs but Order on crime?
Yes. Many people want personal choices left alone but violent crime punished firmly. Your score is an average across many questions, so mixed views are normal.
Does this axis cover free speech?
Partly. Questions on policing, privacy, punishment and rules on content move this score. Questions on protest, opposition and power over leaders are scored under Authority.
Where do you sit on Security?
Take the test