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12 Axes Test

The 12 Axes Explained

The 12 axes are twelve pairs of opposing political positions, grouped into four categories: governmental, diplomatic, economic and societal. Your score on each axis shows how far you lean toward one side.

4 Domains

Gov · Dip · Eco · Soc

12 Axes

24 opposing poles

0% - 100%

Continuous spectrum

Take the testBrowse 12 spectrumsHow the wheel works

Pick an axis

Select any axis to read about both sides and test yourself on it.

12 Axes

How power is organized and limited: between levels of government, between rulers and citizens, and between safety and liberty.

3 axes in GovernmentalExplore all 12

How a country relates to the world and to cultural difference: nation or world, force or peace, blending or diversity.

3 axes in DiplomaticExplore all 12

Who owns and directs the economy, and how open it should be to the rest of the world.

3 axes in EconomicExplore all 12

Religion, social change and technology: the values that shape how people live together.

3 axes in SocietalExplore all 12

What are the 12 axes?

Each axis is a spectrum between two poles. The table lists all twelve, with the question each one asks.

CategoryAxisOpposing polesThe question it asks
GovernmentalFederal vs Unitary
Federal
Unitary
Should regions have powers of their own, or should one national government set the rules for everyone?Explore
GovernmentalDemocratic vs Autocratic
Democratic
Autocratic
How should leaders be chosen, and how limited should their power be?Explore
GovernmentalSecurity vs Freedom
Security
Freedom
When safety and liberty conflict, which should win?Explore
DiplomaticNationalism vs Internationalism
Nationalism
Internationalism
Should a country put its own interests and identity first, or work through shared international rules?Explore
DiplomaticMilitarist vs Pacifist
Militarist
Pacifist
Is military strength the best guarantee of peace, or is it better to reduce arms and rely on diplomacy?Explore
DiplomaticAssimilationist vs Multiculturalist
Assimilationist
Multiculturalist
Should people be expected to adopt the common culture, or should a society welcome and support different cultures?Explore
EconomicCollectivize vs Privatize
Collectivize
Privatize
Should important industries and wealth be shared collectively, or owned and kept privately?Explore
EconomicPlanned vs Laissez-faire
Planned
Laissez-faire
Should government steer the economy, or should markets decide?Explore
EconomicIsolationism vs Globalism
Isolationism
Globalism
Should a country shield its economy and stay out of foreign affairs, or open up to the world?Explore
SocietalIrreligious vs Religious
Irreligious
Religious
Should law and government be secular, or should they reflect religious teaching?Explore
SocietalProgressive vs Traditional
Progressive
Traditional
Should society move on from old customs, or protect them?Explore
SocietalAcceleration vs Bioconservative
Acceleration
Bioconservative
Should we speed up technological progress, even when it changes what humans are, or slow down and set limits?Explore

How do you read your scores?

Every score is a percentage from 0% to 100% that says how far you lean toward the second pole of an axis.

  • 50% is the middle

    A score near 50% means you land between the two sides, or that you hold mixed views on that axis.

    Federal 50%50% Unitary

  • Far from 50% is a strong lean

    Scores below about 20% or above about 80% mean you lean strongly toward one side.

    Planned 16%84% Laissez-faire

  • Each axis stands alone

    Your result on one axis does not decide your result on another. The twelve scores together make your profile.

    Democratic 75%25% Autocratic
    Collectivize 20%80% Privatize
    Irreligious 48%52% Religious

How does the profile wheel visualize your scores?

Instead of forcing twelve dimensions onto a flat two-axis grid or a crowded radar diagram, the test renders your complete profile as a circular twelve-spoke petal wheel.

Sample profile wheel12 Axes
  • Governmental
  • Diplomatic
  • Economic
  • Societal

Each spoke is one axis, colored by its domain: Governmental (blue), Diplomatic (red), Economic (green), and Societal (yellow). The longer the spoke, the firmer the conviction.

  1. 1

    Twelve spokes in four color domains

    The twelve axes radiate from a central hub in clockwise order, grouped into four core domains (Governmental, Diplomatic, Economic, and Societal) with distinct colors matching the site's brand.

  2. 2

    Radial reach reflects conviction strength

    Moderate answers (near 50%) stay close to the inner hub. As your position leans toward either pole, the spoke extends outward toward the rim, showing how firmly you stand.

  3. 3

    Non-linear scaling for readability

    Because most people hold balanced views on several axes, spoke lengths grow on a gentle curve rather than a flat line. This keeps moderate stances visually distinct without shrinking into stubs.

  4. 4

    Numbered markers for peak stances

    To prevent twenty-four pole names from crowding the disc, numbered badges mark your top three strongest leanings, accompanied by full explanations beside the chart.

How are the axes grouped?

Four categories, three axes each. The groups only help you browse; each axis is scored on its own.

Where do the 12 axes come from?

The axes follow a family of online political tests.

Antique compass on unfolded map illustrating the multi-dimensional cartography of political beliefs

The series began with 8values, which scores four values. 9axes added five more in July 2017, and 12axes reorganized them into four groups of three. This site uses the same twelve axes with its own statements and explanations. Read more about the history on the home page and about this site on the about page.

  1. 1

    8values

    A test that scores four values: economic, diplomatic, civil and societal.

  2. 2

    9axesJuly 2017

    Added five more axes to the original four.

  3. 3

    12axes

    Reorganized the axes into four groups of three and patched errors in the earlier tests.

  4. 4

    12 Axes Test

    This site: an independent version with original statements, explanations and data. Not affiliated with the earlier tests or their authors.

Frequently asked questions

They are Federal vs Unitary, Democratic vs Autocratic, Security vs Freedom, Nationalism vs Internationalism, Militarist vs Pacifist, Assimilationist vs Multiculturalist, Collectivize vs Privatize, Planned vs Laissez-faire, Isolationism vs Globalism, Irreligious vs Religious, Progressive vs Traditional and Acceleration vs Bioconservative.

It is the 12-axes profile wheel, this site's signature visualization. It displays your twelve scores as spokes radiating from a central hub. Spoke lengths reflect the strength of your leanings, color-coded across the four core domains.

A traditional 2D compass forces all political beliefs into only two axes (economic and social), ignoring diplomacy, governance, and culture. The 12-axes wheel gives every dimension an independent spoke so you can inspect your full profile at a glance without clutter.

The categories (governmental, diplomatic, economic and societal) make the twelve axes easier to browse. Each axis is still scored separately.

They are designed to measure different questions, but real opinions are often related. For example, someone who favors free trade may also favor private ownership. The test lets you see those links without forcing them.

No. This test uses twelve axes. There is no official 13 axes version.

Each statement points toward one pole of one axis. Agreeing moves your score toward that pole and disagreeing moves it away. The methodology page explains the arithmetic.

Something else on your mind? Get in touch

Where do you land on all twelve?

Take the test to get a percentage on every axis, and to see the countries and ideologies closest to your profile.

Take the testHow scoring works