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ThePournelle chart, developed byJerry Pournelle in his 1963 political science Ph.D. dissertation, is atwo-dimensional coordinate system which can be used to distinguishpolitical ideologies. It is similar to thepolitical compass and theNolan Chart in that it is a two-dimensional chart, but the axes of the Pournelle chart are different from those of other systems. The two axes are as follows:

• The x-axis, "Attitude toward the State" (labeledstatism), refers to apolitical philosophy's attitude toward thestate andcentralized government. The furthest right is "state worship" and the furthest left represents the state as the "ultimate evil", preferringindividual freedom.
• The y-axis, "Attitude toward planned social progress" (labeledrationalism), refers to the extent which a political philosophy is compatible with the idea thatsocial problems can be solved by the use ofreason. The top indicates complete confidence in plannedsocial progress and the bottom representsskepticism of such methods, often considering them as naivelyutopian. Those at the top of the axis would tend to discard a traditional custom if they do not understand what purpose it serves (considering it antiquated and probably useless), while those at the bottom would tend to keep the custom (considering it time-tested and probably useful).

Pournelle arrangedAmerican liberalism,socialism, andcommunism, in the upper right-hand quadrant of high state control and high rationalism.Conservatism,fascism, andNazism are placed in the lower right-hand quadrant of high state control and low rationalism. Classicalanarchists are in the lower left-hand corner of low state control and low rationalism.Libertarians (includinganarcho-capitalists) andObjectivists are placed in the upper left-hand corner of low state control and high rationalism. Each diagonal axis contains natural political allies.

• Political spectrum

• The Pournelle Political Axes.
• Ambidextrous Sovereignty at theWayback Machine (archived 17 March 2008)

• Political science theories
• Political spectrum
• Rationalism
• Statism

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