PaulRogan

During the Exclusion Crisis in late 17^th Century England, the two party system was first established. These were:-

The Tories - Irish cattle rustlers. The Court Party.

They believed in the absolute right of the Monarch to rule, with or without Parliament, answerable only to God. They supported passive obedience and were hostile to social reform. Tories favoured a highly ceremonial and hierarchical church.

The Whigs - Scottish horse thieves. The Country Party.

They believed in a Constitutional Monarchy and keeping European Empires at bay. They supported Habeas Corpus (right to a fair trial by jury) and greater democracy. Whigs were inclined towards the non-conformist and Presbyterian Church.

We now tend to see things in terms of left or right wings, courtesy of the French National Assembly seating arrangements in 1789.

Would you have been a Tory or a Whig? Are you left or right? I saw on fellow readmyday councillor Stephen Manion's blog the quiz and link to www.politicalcompass.org/

It gives an interesting new definition of political alignment, give it a try. I was surprised where I came out on the political compass!