how would you rank different western countries on a left-right scale?

[Beet]

It's impossible because you can't tell what's inherent and what's just an accident of whichever party happens to be incumbent.

For example, Spain now would rank on the center, whereas had the 3-11 attacks not happened, it would rank on the right.

The US ranks on the far-right, whereas had 600 votes been different in the year 2000, it would rank on the center-right.

The rankings thus are as much a product of pure accident and chance than anything inherent about each country, and thus mean very little.

[Beet]

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Ok, yet the two are not completely independent of one another. The leanings of the government influences the leanings of the people. One famous example is the sea change in public opinion towards a bombing halt after the government announced a change in policy.