ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Nolan chart

The Nolan Chart is a way of understanding different political views. It separates views into two large groups: economic freedom (left-right view) and personal freedom (up-down view).

On the left-right view (economic freedom) is the choice between free-market economics (right) or government control of the economy (left). Free-market economics means that people can make their own decisions about how to use money, like when to buy and sell things. Government control of the economy means the government decides how people use money.

On the up-down view (personal freedom) is the choice between more individual freedom (up) or more government control (down). More individual freedom means people can make their own choices and do what they want, like choosing where to travel or what to watch on TV. More government control means the government is in charge and makes the choices for people.

The Nolan Chart helps us to understand people's political views better. It shows where people are on the right-left axis (economic freedom) and the up-down axis (personal freedom). Depending on what they believe, they may be on the left, right, top, or bottom side of the chart.

The Nolan Chart is like a map to help make sense of political views. It's a useful tool because it can be used to better understand and respect people's different ideas without getting into arguments.
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