If you have taken more than one ideology quiz, you have probably been told you are three different people. The political compass, 8values, and SapplyValues are the tests people paste into group chats. They are not measuring the same thing.
The political compass
The familiar square uses two axes: economics from left to right, and social values from authoritarian to libertarian. A single dot is easy to screenshot, which is why it travels. The weakness is the question set: many prompts are about abstract state power, so two people with the same dot can disagree about housing, trade, or AI.
8values
8values scores you on four pairs: equality vs markets, nation vs world, liberty vs authority, and tradition vs progress. That extra detail is useful, and the percentage bars are made for sharing. It is also easier to end up with a novelty label that does not map onto a party or a writer you can actually go and read.
SapplyValues
SapplyValues stretches the same idea further, with more axes and more match percentages. It is fun, and the matching is the feature. It is a worse map if what you wanted was a stable coordinate you can compare with someone else's coordinate.
What to use
- Use 8values or SapplyValues when you want a label and a percentage match.
- Use a two-axis compass when you want a position you can plot against other people.
- Use PoliMap when you want that compass with contemporary questions. Take the test, then open Trump vs Biden or classical liberalism to see the same chart used for public figures.
None of these quizzes is a diagnosis. They are models. The useful one is the model you can explain to the person you just challenged.