<i>The one dimensional left-right spectrum seems to be bent into a horseshoe [...] the further towards the ends of the spectrum you are, the more authoritarian your stance is.</i><p>Cool observation - I really like this. Though in effect it goes from being one dimensional to two dimensional: <i>x</i> being extent of services, production, distribution, and exchange controlled by state or private bodies, <i>y</i> being level of participation of the population in the decision making process.<p>You could add <i>z</i> to measure spending policy - now you can represent fiscal conservatism, level of democracy and social policy as a tetrahedron.