Political Circle
Home
Start new test
Explore
About
"Free speech, privacy and due process come first — even when inconvenient"
At 6 o'clock, you sit at the bottom of the political circle, prioritising freedom, privacy and civil liberties above almost everything else. You're sceptical of blanket powers whatever the policy goal. People should be left alone unless there's a clear, specific harm. Laws should protect freedoms by default.
You're a principled liberty-first thinker. You resist surveillance, moralising rules and mission creep, even when they're well-intended. For you, the slippery slope is real: small infringements become precedents for larger ones. Better to defend liberty consistently than to chip away at it for short-term gains.
Your position at 6 o'clock tells us your direction, but how far you are from the centre tells us the strength of your convictions. The Political Circle recognises three levels:
"Civil liberties matter greatly, but not absolutely"
Close to centre, you prioritise rights but accept narrow exceptions. You defend speech, privacy, due process—but acknowledge genuine security needs sometimes require limited intrusion. You're a strong civil libertarian who remains pragmatic about rare, targeted restrictions when strongly justified. Liberty is presumption; infringement needs compelling justification.
Historical example: John Stuart Mill's harm principle—restrict liberty only to prevent harm to others.
"Rights matter more than security theatre"
At medium distance, you have clear convictions that civil liberties trump most security arguments. You want strong privacy, free speech even for hate speech, robust due process, whistleblower protection. Sacrificing liberty for security delivers neither. Human dignity requires autonomy. You'll defend rights even when unpopular or inconvenient.
Historical example: Edward Snowden—exposed mass surveillance, choosing conscience over compliance with authority.
"No compromise on fundamental rights—ever"
Far from centre, rights are non-negotiable. Even if surveillance caught every terrorist, even if censorship eliminated hate speech—it wouldn't be worth it. Freedom matters intrinsically. Any compromise with authority starts the slide to oppression. When law conflicts with liberty, civil disobedience becomes duty. Rights aren't negotiable for security or public good.
Historical example: Harriet Tubman—defied unjust laws; freedom over legality when they conflict.
Whistleblower and privacy advocate
Snowden exposed mass surveillance by the NSA, arguing that privacy is a fundamental right being eroded by unchecked state power. His sacrifice to reveal government overreach and his continued advocacy for encryption and civil liberties embody the 6 o'clock position in the digital age.
Enlightenment philosopher and writer
Voltaire's defence of free speech, religious tolerance and criticism of authority defined Enlightenment liberalism. His (apocryphal) statement "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" captures the 6 o'clock commitment to liberty even for unpopular views.
Abolitionist and freedom fighter
Tubman risked her life repeatedly to free enslaved people through the Underground Railroad. Her courage in defying unjust laws and her commitment to human freedom against oppressive authority make her a hero of the 6 o'clock tradition of liberty activism.
Former director of Liberty (UK civil liberties organisation)
Chakrabarti led campaigns against detention without trial, mass surveillance and erosion of due process. Her consistent defence of civil liberties against security-state expansion, regardless of which party is in power, typifies principled 6 o'clock advocacy.
Writer and free speech advocate
Hitchens defended free expression fiercely, opposing censorship from both religious authorities and progressive movements. His argument that free speech protects everyone, especially dissidents, and his willingness to offend when necessary, embody 6 o'clock principles.
The new book, 'Beyond Left and Right: Understanding the Political Circle' is now available on Amazon.
Containing a wealth of information, the book explores all of the 12 philosophical positions with detailed analysis on each of the three levels.