I've observed something kind of similar, although in my view, the axis is, if you rely on abstracted rules and disembodied systems and institutions, you tend to

I've observed something kind of similar, although in my view, the axis is, if you rely on abstracted rules and disembodied systems and institutions, you tend to be liberal, whereas if you rely on much more on tightly shared unstated norms and cultural expectations, you tend to be conservative. If you live in a dense, cosmopolitan city, you need local government to make sure that all those diverse transient strangers around you are coordinating their lives properly through the shared explicit protocol of secular government. If you live in a distant suburb, on the other hand, it's not the cops that make you feel safe, its the fact that most people around you look and dress like you do, water their lawns, go to church, and generally display themselves publicly exhibiting the norms of your community. But of course, you better be exhibiting those norms too.