I just took the 2005 Political Typology test over at the Pew Research web site. OK, so it’s a little old. Still, I’m fascinated by the fact that even in 2005, liberals represented the fastest growing typology among nine categories. Also interesting is that the fissures among Republicans rest primarily in the role of government—swinging from 80% of “pro-government conservatives” who think more should be done to help the poor to 67% of “enterprisers” who believe the government can’t afford to do more. The study reported,
The 2005 study also buttresses the finding in 1999 that the Republican Party’s base is now divided into three core subgroups. In both 1987 and 1994 the predominant divisions on the right were between two ideological clusters, Enterprisers and Moralists, defined by the relative emphasis each placed on conservative economic and social values. The 1999 study found, and the 2005 analysis confirms, the development of a critical third element of the Republican base a group we refer to as Pro-Government Conservatives. While this group agrees fully with the religious values of Social Conservatives, and the assertive foreign stance of both of the other Republican groups, its members are predominantly lower income and struggling financially. Perhaps as a result, they favor greater government action in assisting the poor and in regulating business to improve the environment, as well as to protect morality.
I hope a new study is done after this election season. I want to know how these pro-government conservatives voted.
