have you ever changed your political ideas?

[Bafuria]

First I was a social democrat, then I was a libertarian and now I'm a right-leaning centrist.

[Arumdaum]

I used to be a far-right racial nationalist who advocated a worldwide theocratic Neo-Korean empire which would wage continuous warfare against other countries... Christianity would be the official religion, and all other religions banned. I didn't see criminals as real humans either, and wanted laws which severely discriminated against former criminals.

I used to think Buddhists should be persecuted. I used to think the Japanese race should be exterminated. I believed that the Chinese were lesser humans who should work in mass concentration camps in order to serve Korea. I used to think it was absolutely fine that the Japanese were forced to go to internment camps in the US, and wondered why they weren't in them now. I wanted all Turks, Arabs, and Muslims executed for beating the Crusaders.

Then I started supporting Obama, and my views gradually got more liberal. I finally formed an opinion on gay marriage (in support) after my friend told me about it when my state was voting on Prop 8.

Later, after seeing a Charlie the Unicorn video with a reference to communism (hammer & banana), I became a revolutionary socialist advocating a dictatorship of the proletariat. A while later, I also became an atheist.

After that, I became an anarchist who knew almost nothing about anarchy.

Later I became an anarcho-communist and a pacifist, and that's what I still am today.

[Krasny-Volny]

Come to think of it, I suppose my shift in political ideals can be traced back to moving from one nation to the next. I worshipped the United States and the perfect, infallible, policy direction of whatever administration happened to be in office at the time - until I moved there.

Now my views tend to reflect those of Estado Novo.

[Artanili Datium]

Yep.

My politics went like this.

1. Far Right Nationalist Theocratic.
2. Moderate Right Nationalist Fundamentalist
3. Centre Right Nationalist
4. Far-Left Communist
5. Far-Left Stalin Knockoff.
6. Moderate Left Socialist
7. Moderate Left Social Democratic

[Soufrika]

When I first became politically conscious, well, I don't know for sure what I was ideologically. It used to be that, for example, I was a strong proponent of gay marriage and abortion, and I didn't care who we bombed or invaded. Now I'm open to civil unions as a compromise; while I remain pro-choice, I also support alternatives to abortion; and I am firmly in favor of non-interventionism. I see myself as libertarian ("classical liberal" might be more accurate). The Modern Whig Party's platform is, I think, the most similar to my political views.

[The Antillean Confederation]

Yes.

EDIT: To make my political history more accurate.

I went from being Republican to Democrat to Anarchist to Libertarian to Social Democrat to Democratic Socialist to Anarcho-Communist to Anarcho-Primitavist to now being an Economic Liberal and a Social Conservative (Not sure what that's called).

Who knows what the future holds for me now.

[Hetland 2]

No. But I'm flexible with them. As a moderate that is.

[Trotskylvania]

Of course. But they've been evolutions of the same basic ideas.

When I became politically aware, all I really knew at the time was that I was to the left of the Democratic Party. Because I was intellectually inclined, I ended up getting into Marxism and socialism during Shrub's first term. I sided with the Third Camp Trotskyists, associated with groups like the ISO, and read books by Michael Harrington and Michael Parenti while I learned the ABCs of Marxism-Leninism. But that was quickly becoming an intellectual dead-end, and I was rather turned off by Trotskyist sectarianism.

By the time I joined NS, I was basically just a democratic socialist. And through contact with people on this sight, and more extensive study I eventually became an anarcho-syndicalist. Then I read Murray Bookchin, and began rediscovering Marx as well.

But the more I learned, the more it seemed like the window had long since closed on anarchism. It was too tied up in voluntarism, which necessitated a kind of free will that simply doesn't exist. I came to realize that not only had anarchism become too tied up in individual rebellion and forming temporary autonomous zones on their friend's couches, but it was also in simple denial about the possibilities for individualism and voluntarism. There simply are no voluntary societies, as the structuralists had long since shown, and all societies make their citizens in their own image.

I came to find that the proper position for anyone concerned with freedom was the maximization of freedom for all. And there are times when that requires aggression, compulsion and coercion. Imprisoning and rehabilitating those who break the law is far, far less destructive to freedom than the passive capital punishment of exile and outlawry. So now I go by a number of different labels. I hate the terms "libertarian communist" or "libertarian socialist" because I consider them redundant. But the distinction is necessary to make. Among Marxists, I usually identify as a left communist or an autonomist. I am still a fellow traveller of anarcho-syndicalism, but unfortunately the anarchist community hasn't been very kind to Bookchin after his repudiation of anarchism, so my Bookchinite leanings are a cause of friction.

[Liriena]

Let me give you the evolution of my political ideals over the years, in the order in which it happened:

1) State Capitalist (big fan of the Soviet Union)
2) Anti-Democratic Right-wing Fascist (hated stupid people too much...and stupid people made up about 40-60% of voters)
3) Conservative (with a few remnants of Fascist)
4) Conservative (Constitutionalist/Libertarian)
5) Social Democrat (I found the center-left very convincing in the 2011 Argentinian presidential elections)
6) CLASSICAL LIBERAL (with many remnants of Social Democrat)

[Vaklor]

Yes. Many times. I'm at the portion of my life when I figure that stuff out.

[Genivaria]

My biggest change is the fact that I am becoming an Imperialist.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

I used to be a far-right racial nationalist who advocated a worldwide theocratic Neo-Korean empire which would wage continuous warfare against other countries... Christianity would be the official religion, and all other religions banned. I didn't see criminals as real humans either, and wanted laws which severely discriminated against former criminals.

I used to think Buddhists should be persecuted. I used to think the Japanese race should be exterminated. I believed that the Chinese were lesser humans who should work in mass concentration camps in order to serve Korea. I used to think it was absolutely fine that the Japanese were forced to go to internment camps in the US, and wondered why they weren't in them now. I wanted all Turks, Arabs, and Muslims executed for beating the Crusaders.

You know, if I had ever met you IRL then, I would have had to kick your ass.

[Forster Keys]

I used to think "Affirmative Action" was racist. Now I feel like an idiot.

Giving someone support just because they are of a certain race is racist...

[Azrael]

All the time. Don't make me explain the history. By the time I'm done writing, I would've already changed about 29 times. My political compass is pretty irrelevant (I updated it like last week).

[Saiwania]

I've become far less socially conservative, but I'm more economically conservative than ever.

[Arumdaum]

I used to be a far-right racial nationalist who advocated a worldwide theocratic Neo-Korean empire which would wage continuous warfare against other countries... Christianity would be the official religion, and all other religions banned. I didn't see criminals as real humans either, and wanted laws which severely discriminated against former criminals.

I used to think Buddhists should be persecuted. I used to think the Japanese race should be exterminated. I believed that the Chinese were lesser humans who should work in mass concentration camps in order to serve Korea. I used to think it was absolutely fine that the Japanese were forced to go to internment camps in the US, and wondered why they weren't in them now. I wanted all Turks, Arabs, and Muslims executed for beating the Crusaders.

You know, if I had ever met you IRL then, I would have had to kick your ass.

Yeah, my ideas were full of poop back then.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

Yes. Before coming on NS, I was a conservative libertarian. Now, I'm close to being a Fascist.

No, I'm not joking.

[Liriena]

Yes. Before coming on NS, I was a conservative libertarian. Now, I'm close to being a Fascist.

No, I'm not joking.

Meh, I used to be Fascist myself, so I can relate

[Prussia-Steinbach]

I used to think "Affirmative Action" was racist. Now I feel like an idiot.

Giving someone support just because they are of a certain race is racist...

[Nightkill the Emperor]

You know, if I had ever met you IRL then, I would have had to kick your ass.

Yeah, my ideas were full of poop back then.

How old were you then?

[Forster Keys]

My biggest change is the fact that I am becoming an Imperialist.

So you keep telling us bro. Not making me think it'll work though. Would appreciate it if you can show me your argument.

[Arumdaum]

Yeah, my ideas were full of poop back then.

How old were you then?

11-12. >.>

[Forster Keys]

Always roughly leftist. Refined as I've learned more. Considering my environment it's not surprising.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

How old were you then?

11-12. >.>

I was about that fucked up at your age, but I continued that stage for a while.

[Computer Land]

I am always changing. For example, after becoming active in politics, I soon identified myself as liberal. Not so much anymore. I like to decide on issues on an individual basis, and I think saying I'm 'right wing' or 'left wing' takes away some of my own perspective. If you want my opinion on an issue, I'll consider it deeply, and tell it to you.

Now when I vote, I don't vote for a specific ideology. I decide who I hate the most. Scratch that off. Decide who I hate a little more. Scratch that off. Repeat until I have the one I hate the least.

It just happens to be Stephan Harper that I hate the most. Whoops.