Political tests compared
8values vs 9Axes vs 12 Axes
Three open-source political tests, each built on the one before. 8values measures four values, 9Axes splits them into nine and 12 Axes into twelve. Here is what changes from one to the next, and which one to take.
Take the 12 Axes testAt a glance
| Compared | 8values | 9Axes | 12 Axes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axes | 4 | 9 | 12, in 4 groups |
| Statements | 70 | 45 or 216 | 60 or 288 in the original; 36, 60 or 288 on this site |
| Answer choices | 5, from strongly agree to strongly disagree | 5, the same as 8values | 7, adding partially agree and partially disagree |
| Result | Four percentages and a closest ideology | Nine percentages | Twelve percentages; on this site also a compass position and the closest ideology, country and historical figure |
| Licence | MIT, open source | MIT, open source | MIT, open source |
Figures checked on each project's own site in October 2026.
How the axes split
Each 12 Axes axis traces back to one of the four values of 8values. This is how the four became nine and then twelve.
| 8values | 9Axes | 12 Axes |
|---|---|---|
| Economic: Equality vs Markets | Equality vs Markets | Economy: Collectivize vs PrivatizeControl: Planned vs Laissez-faireTrade: Protectionist vs Globalist |
| Diplomatic: Nation vs Globe | Globalist vs IsolationistMilitarist vs Pacifist | Intervention: Internationalist vs NationalistMilitary: Militarist vs Pacifist |
| Civil: Liberty vs Authority | Federal vs UnitaryDemocratic vs AuthoritarianSecurity vs Freedom | Structure: Federal vs UnitaryRepresentation: Democratic vs AutocraticPower: Security vs Freedom |
| Societal: Tradition vs Progress | Secular vs ReligiousProgressive vs TraditionalAssimilationist vs Multiculturalist | Religion: Irreligious vs ReligiousCulture: Progressive vs TraditionalImmigration: Assimilationist vs MulticulturalistTechnology: Acceleration vs Bioconservative |
What changes in your result
When axes are combined, mixed views cancel out. Someone who wants free trade but tight borders, or a big welfare state and a small army, lands near the middle of a combined axis and looks like a moderate.
Splitting the axes keeps those views visible. 9Axes separates government, foreign policy and society into their own scores. 12 Axes goes further: trade is pulled out of ownership, economic planning gets its own axis, and technology appears for the first time.
The cost is length. 8values asks 70 statements. The full 12 Axes test asks 288, which is why this site also offers 36 and 60 statement versions.
Which one should you take?
- 8values
- You want the classic four values and an ideology label in about ten minutes.
- 9Axes
- You want government, diplomacy and society split up, and do not need economics divided further.
- 12 Axes
- You want the most detailed profile of the three, your political compass position, and the closest ideology, country and historical figure.
8values, 9Axes and 12 Axes questions
Is 12 Axes better than 8values?
It is more detailed, not more correct. 12 Axes scores twelve axes where 8values scores four, so mixed views stay visible, but it takes longer. If you want a quick overview, 8values is enough.
What is the difference between 9Axes and 12 Axes?
12 Axes reorganised 9Axes into four groups, renamed some axes and added three: Control (planned vs laissez-faire), Trade (protectionist vs globalist) and Technology (acceleration vs bioconservative). It also uses seven answer choices instead of five.
Is 12 Axes the same as 12 values?
Yes. Some people call it 12 values by analogy with 8values, but the test is called 12 Axes or 12axes.
Can I compare my 8values result with my 12 Axes result?
Roughly. 8values' Equality vs Markets is closest to the Economy axis, Nation vs Globe to Intervention, Liberty vs Authority to Power, and Tradition vs Progress to Culture. These are also the four axes the 12 Axes test uses to match an ideology.
Are 8values, 9Axes and 12 Axes related?
Yes. 9Axes was built on 8values and 12 Axes on 9Axes. All three are open-source projects published under the MIT licence.
Twelve lines. Draw yours.
Take the 12 Axes test