The one dimensional left-right spectrum seems to be bent into a horseshoe [...] the further towards the ends of the spectrum you are, the more authoritarian you

The one dimensional left-right spectrum seems to be bent into a horseshoe [...] the further towards the ends of the spectrum you are, the more authoritarian your stance is. Cool observation - I really like this. Though in effect it goes from being one dimensional to two dimensional: x being extent of services, production, distribution, and exchange controlled by state or private bodies, y being level of participation of the population in the decision making process. You could add z to measure spending policy - now you can represent fiscal conservatism, level of democracy and social policy as a tetrahedron.