Jimmy Carter vs Ronald Reagan
Jimmy Carter
United States- 39th President of the United States (1977-1981)
- 76th Governor of Georgia
Democratic president who emphasized human rights, brokered the Camp David Accords and deregulated transportation, later known for decades of humanitarian work.
Full profile of Jimmy Carter
Ronald Reagan
United States- 40th President of the United States (1981-1989)
- 33rd Governor of California
Republican president who cut income tax rates, pursued deregulation and a defense buildup, and negotiated nuclear arms reductions with the Soviet Union.
Full profile of Ronald ReaganIn short
How they compare
Jimmy Carter (1924-2024) and Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) are a 75% match on the 12 axes where both have a clear record.
They differ most on foreign policy (Jimmy Carter: cooperation (moderate); Ronald Reagan: strength (moderate)), welfare (Jimmy Carter: shared (mild); Ronald Reagan: self-reliant (moderate)) and structure (Jimmy Carter: central (mild); Ronald Reagan: local (moderate)). They are closest on trade, culture and authority.
On the economy Ronald Reagan sits further toward markets; on state and liberty their positions are close; on society Ronald Reagan sits further toward tradition; on the world stage Ronald Reagan sits further toward nation.
Generated from the two sourced profiles on this site. Each axis placement and its reasoning is on the full profile pages.
★ By family of axes
- Economy3 axes
- Jimmy CarterbalancedRonald Reaganmarkets (moderate)
- State and liberty3 axes
- Jimmy Carterliberty (mild)Ronald Reaganbalanced
- Society4 axes
- Jimmy CarterbalancedRonald Reagantradition (mild)
- World2 axes
- Jimmy Carterglobal (moderate)Ronald Reagannation (mild)
- Jimmy Carter: petals and stars
- Ronald Reagan: dashed outline
★ Where they differ most
- Foreign policy95 points apart
Jimmy Carter: Cooperation (moderate). Ronald Reagan: Strength (moderate).
- Welfare70 points apart
Jimmy Carter: Shared (mild). Ronald Reagan: Self-reliant (moderate).
- Structure55 points apart
Jimmy Carter: Central (mild). Ronald Reagan: Local (moderate).
- Markets50 points apart
Jimmy Carter: Free (mild). Ronald Reagan: Free (moderate).
★ Where they are closest
- Trade · 0 apart
- Culture · 25 apart
- Authority · 30 apart
Axis by axis
Ronald Reagan
Economy
Equality / Markets- OwnershipBalanced48%52%PublicPrivate
- MarketsMild: Free45%55%PlannedFree
- WelfareMild: Shared60%40%SharedSelf-reliant
State and liberty
Liberty / Authority- AuthorityModerate: Democratic75%25%DemocraticStrong leader
- SecurityBalanced50%50%LibertyOrder
- StructureMild: Central43%57%LocalCentral
Society
Progress / Tradition- MoralityMild: Traditional43%57%ProgressiveTraditional
- ReligionBalanced48%52%SecularReligious
- TechnologyBalanced48%52%EmbraceCaution
- CultureMild: Multicultural65%35%MulticulturalNational identity
World
Global / Nation- TradeModerate: Global68%32%GlobalProtected
- Foreign policyModerate: Cooperation68%32%CooperationStrength
★ 12 Axes Political Test ★
Who are you closer to?
Answer plain statements on 12 axes and see your match with Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and every other historical figure, axis by axis.
FAQ
Jimmy Carter vs Ronald Reagan
What is the difference between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan?
They differ most on foreign policy (Jimmy Carter: cooperation (moderate); Ronald Reagan: strength (moderate)), welfare (Jimmy Carter: shared (mild); Ronald Reagan: self-reliant (moderate)) and structure (Jimmy Carter: central (mild); Ronald Reagan: local (moderate)). On the economy Ronald Reagan sits further toward markets; on state and liberty their positions are close; on society Ronald Reagan sits further toward tradition; on the world stage Ronald Reagan sits further toward nation.
What do Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan have in common?
They are closest on trade, culture and authority. Overall their profiles are a 75% match on the 12 axes where both have a clear record.
Who leans more toward free markets, Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan?
On the economic axes they share, Ronald Reagan sits further toward markets and Jimmy Carter further toward equality. Jimmy Carter reads as balanced overall, Ronald Reagan as markets (moderate).
Am I closer to Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan?
Take the 12 Axes Political Test. Your result shows your match with both of them, and with every other historical figure and ideology on the site, axis by axis.
