Test comparison · checked 3 October 2026
12Axes vs 9Axes: What Carried Over
The classic 12Axes test grew directly out of 9Axes. Most of its statements are 9Axes statements, scored the same way, now spread across twelve axes instead of nine.
9Axes statements appear word for word in the 12Axes question bank, each scored in the same direction.
All nine 9Axes axes continue. Three axes are new: Planned / Laissez-faire, Protectionist / Globalist and Accelerationist / Bioconservative.
Both tests score an axis as 50 plus the signed answer total: ×5 in the 45- and 60-statement versions, ×1 in the 216- and 288-statement versions.
Where each 9Axes axis went.
Each 9Axes axis has 24 statements in its full version. The table shows how many of them appear in 12Axes, and on which axis.
| 9Axes axis (24 statements) | 12Axes axis | Carried over | Not carried over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal–Unitary | Federal / Unitary (24) | 24 | 0 |
| Democratic–Authoritarian | Democratic / Autocratic (21) | 21 | 3 |
| Globalist–Isolationist | Internationalist / Nationalist (20) | 20 | 4 |
| Militarist–Pacifist | Militarist / Pacifist (22) | 22 | 2 |
| Security–Freedom | Security / Freedom (15) | 15 | 9 |
| Equality–Markets | Equality / Markets (12) Planned / Laissez-faire (2) | 14 | 10 |
| Secular–Religious | Secular / Religious (17) | 17 | 7 |
| Progressive–Traditional | Accelerationist / Bioconservative (10) Progressive / Traditional (7) | 17 | 7 |
| Assimilationist–Multiculturalist | Assimilationist / Multiculturalist (24) | 24 | 0 |
| Total | 9 of 12 axes | 174 | 42 |
Two axes are unchanged in the full versions: Federal–Unitary and Assimilationist–Multiculturalist keep all 24 statements.
What 12Axes changed.
The biggest change is a split. 9Axes asked about tradition and about technology on one Progressive–Traditional axis; 12Axes separates them.
Moved to Progressive / Traditional (7)
- “Traditions are important”
- “Maintaining family values is essential.”
- “The elders in society know the best path for it”
Moved to Accelerationist / Bioconservative (10)
- “Genetic modification is a force for good, even on humans.”
- “Technological progress is usually good”
- “We should put effort into getting a person on Mars in the near future”
Statements are quoted exactly as written in the 9Axes source. The other changes:
- Two Equality–Markets statements now sit on the new Planned / Laissez-faire axis, which asks who should coordinate the economy.
- Protectionist / Globalist is new and covers trade. Globalist–Isolationist became Internationalist / Nationalist.
- 12Axes adds “Somewhat agree” and “Somewhat disagree” (worth ±0.5) to the five 9Axes answers.
- 42 of the 216 statements are not in 12Axes, most from Equality–Markets (10) and Security–Freedom (9).
When a 9Axes score carries over.
Only on the two unchanged axes, and only in the full versions. There the statements, their directions and the formula are identical, so the same five-point answers give the same percentage.
Demo · Full versions · Federal–Unitary
The same answers, the same score.
Suppose your 24 answers on this axis, after applying each statement’s direction, add up to +10.
9Axes, full version
50 + 10 = 60.
60% Federal / 40% Unitary
12Axes, 288 statements
50 + 10 = 60.
60% Federal / 40% Unitary
On the other seven shared axes, 12Axes uses some different statements, so equal answers can produce different numbers. Short versions draw five statements per axis and may not draw the same ones.
Which one to take.
9Axes
Nine axes, 45 or 216 statements and five answer options. The result names the closest of 52 ideologies.
12Axes on this site
Twelve axes, 36, 60 or 288 statements and seven answer options. You can save progress, review answers and share a score link.
How we counted.
- We compared the 9Axes question file (commit 7704f10, 9 November 2021) with the classic 12Axes file (politicaltests commit 5a508de, 27 February 2025).
- A statement counts as carried over when it matches word for word after ignoring capital letters and punctuation. Reworded statements are not counted, so 174 is a minimum.
- Directions and formulas come from each test’s own quiz code. Statement text is quoted under the MIT licence included with each project.
See your twelve axes.
The 60-statement edition takes about ten minutes; the 288-statement edition matches the full 9Axes length per axis.
Take the 12 axes political test ↗Compare other political tests