Social Democracy on the 12 Axes

Social democracy grew from the European labor movement of the late nineteenth century, when parties such as Germany's SPD chose elections and reforms over revolution, a turn defended by Eduard Bernstein. After 1945 it shaped much of Western Europe: the Nordic model in Sweden, Norway and Denmark combined private enterprise with universal healthcare, education, pensions and collective bargaining between unions and employers. In the 1990s many parties adopted the 'Third Way' and moved closer to markets. Today social democrats defend public services, progressive taxes and labor rights within a capitalist economy. Unlike democratic socialism, they do not aim to abolish private ownership of business. Unlike social liberalism, they put organized labor and collective welfare at the center rather than individual opportunity.

• Democratic Socialism 84%Democratic socialism aims to replace capitalism with social ownership of the economy, reached and governed through elections, civil liberties and multiparty democracy instead of revolution or one-party rule.
• Social Liberalism 84%Social liberalism holds that individual freedom requires real opportunity, so it pairs a market economy and civil liberties with public education, healthcare and social insurance.
• Market Socialism 83%Market socialism keeps markets to set prices and allocate goods, but places firms under social or worker ownership so that profits are shared instead of going to private investors.
• Progressivism 83%Progressivism is a political outlook that seeks social reform through government action, expanding civil rights, protecting minorities and using science and evidence to improve society.