The Political Spectrum and the Social Contract

October 13, 2026

This week we finally introduced the political spectrum and the social contract.

The political spectrum

We broke down how to describe someone's political beliefs in two directions: economic and social.

Economic left: believes the government should step in to manage the economy.
Economic right: believes the government should stay out of the economy.
Authoritarian: believes the government should step in to people's personal lives.
Libertarian: believes individual freedom is more important than government control.

Then we looked at examples of different social and economic issues. Everyone talked about what they think about each one, and how other people might see it differently.

Next we moved to the social contract, which focuses on the social side of the spectrum. It's about finding the balance between individual freedom and order through government power.

We looked at how famous thinkers saw it, and most interestingly, how what they lived through shaped what they believed.

Thomas Hobbes lived through the English Civil War, which was very bloody. Because of that, he believed people are naturally selfish and violent, so a strong government is needed to keep them in line.
John Locke saw the Glorious Revolution of 1688, a mostly peaceful transfer of power in England. That led him to believe people can cooperate on their own, so their freedom should be protected. Locke's ideas influenced the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, which we still live under today.
Karl Marx saw the Industrial Revolution and people working in horrible conditions. That's why he thought the economy needed strong regulation.

Big takeaway

Our environment shapes the way we think. When you're looking at someone's perspective, it helps to understand where they're coming from.

That matters in MUN, too. When you represent a country, think about its history and what it's been through, because that shapes its positions.