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How it is governed

United States on the 12 axes

MLPNSovereign IndividualistFree markets, free people, and no outside master.

The United States is typed MLPN, the Sovereign Individualist. Ownership is its strongest lean, Private, with state firms limited to post, some transport and public broadcasting (2026). Markets lean Free, Technology leans Embrace and Structure leans Local. Trade leans Protected, with an applied weighted tariff of 11.8% (2026) and trade worth 25% of GDP (2024). Security leans Order, with a prison population of 542 per 100,000 people (2023) and the death penalty in use in the last 5 years (2025). Culture leans Multicultural.

Brazil is the nearest country at 74%. Both lean Local and Multicultural, but Brazil leans Public on Ownership, sits near the centre on Markets, and leans Cooperation where the United States leans Strength. See how its politicians and historical figures compare on the page, or take the test to see how close you are to this profile.

Laws and institutionsData 2026-10
ECONOMYSTATESOCIETYWORLDOwnershipMarketsWelfareAuthoritySecurityStructureMoralityReligionTechnologyCultureTradeForeign
Axis by axis

Where the United States sits

  1. 01Ownership+90
    PublicPrivate
  2. 02Markets+75
    PlannedFree
  3. 03Welfare-20
    SharedSelf-reliant
  4. 04Authority-45
    DemocraticStrong leader
  5. 05Security+30
    LibertyOrder
  6. 06Structure-95
    LocalCentral
  7. 07Morality-65
    ProgressiveTraditional
  8. 08Religion-75
    SecularReligious
  9. 09Technology-95
    EmbraceCaution
  10. 10Culture-75
    MulticulturalNational identity
  11. 11Trade+60
    GlobalProtected
  12. 12Foreign policy+20
    CooperationStrength

Scores come from laws, budgets and institutional indexes, not from polls or the party in power. How country profiles are built

People

Who is closest to how the United States is governed?

Each percentage compares a person's documented positions with the country's current profile, on the axes both have on record. A high score means their views match the status quo. A low one means they would change more.

Current politicians

  1. Hakeem JeffriesHakeem JeffriesUnited States · Democratic Party75%
  2. Gavin NewsomGavin NewsomUnited States · Democratic Party67%
  3. Rand PaulRand PaulUnited States · Republican Party63%
  4. JD VanceJD VanceUnited States · Republican Party61%
  5. Ted CruzTed CruzUnited States · Republican Party60%
  6. Donald TrumpDonald TrumpUnited States · Republican Party59%
  7. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenUnited States · Democratic Party56%
  8. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezUnited States · Democratic Party55%
  9. Ron DeSantisRon DeSantisUnited States · Republican Party55%
  10. Bernie SandersBernie SandersUnited States · Independent (caucuses with the Democratic Party)53%

Historical figures

  1. Jane JacobsJane Jacobs1916-2006 · Urbanist and author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities78%
  2. Gerald FordGerald Ford1913-2006 · 38th President of the United States (1974-1977)76%
  3. Betty FriedanBetty Friedan1921-2006 · Author of The Feminine Mystique75%
  4. James BuchananJames Buchanan1791-1868 · 15th President of the United States (1857-1861)75%
  5. Margaret SangerMargaret Sanger1879-1966 · Founder of the American Birth Control League (1921)75%
  6. Martin Van BurenMartin Van Buren1782-1862 · 8th President of the United States (1837-1841)75%
  7. James MonroeJames Monroe1758-1831 · 5th President of the United States (1817-1825)74%
  8. John TylerJohn Tyler1790-1862 · 10th President of the United States (1841-1845)73%
  9. Barry GoldwaterBarry Goldwater1909-1998 · U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953-1965, 1969-1987)72%
  10. Madeleine AlbrightMadeleine Albright1937-2022 · 64th US Secretary of State (1997-2001)72%
  11. Franklin PierceFranklin Pierce1804-1869 · 14th President of the United States (1853-1857)71%
  12. Herbert HooverHerbert Hoover1874-1964 · 31st President of the United States (1929-1933)71%

Match-ups

Governed most like the United States

How close are you to the United States?

Your 12 Axes result ranks the countries governed most like your answers, next to ideologies, figures and politicians.

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United States: questions

What is the United States's type on the 12 axes?

Read from its laws and institutions, the United States comes out as MLPN (Sovereign Individualist). The type takes one letter per family of three axes: Economy, State, Society and World. It describes how the country is governed, not what its people think.

Which politician is closest to how the United States is governed?

Of the current politicians profiled here, Hakeem Jeffries sits closest to the United States's policy profile, at 75% on the axes both have on record. Closeness compares documented positions with current laws; it is not a measure of popularity or success.

Which countries are governed most like the United States?

On the 12 axes, Brazil is closest at 74%, followed by South Africa at 72%. The comparison uses the same country profiles as the country match on your 12 Axes result.