Political Figures of India: Views Mapped

On one compass

Each dot is one figure: economic views across, the mean of the civil and society axes up and down. Hover or tap a dot for the name.

4Economic left

1Near the economic centre

1Economic right

Up and down the compass: 2 on the authority side, 1 near the middle and 3 on the liberty side.

Heads of state and government

In order of office

1st Prime Minister of India (1947-1964)Jawaharlal NehruLeader of India's independence movement and the country's first prime minister, who built a secular parliamentary democracy, a planned mixed economy...
3rd Prime Minister of India (1966-1977, 1980-1984)Indira GandhiNehru's daughter and India's first woman prime minister, who nationalised the banks, won the 1971 war that created Bangladesh and ruled by decree...
10th Prime Minister of India (1996, 1998-2004)Atal Bihari VajpayeeCo-founder of the Bharatiya Janata Party who led India from 1998 to 2004, ordered nuclear tests, opened talks with Pakistan and reduced the state's...
14th Prime Minister of India (2004-2014)Manmohan SinghEconomist and Congress prime minister who launched India's 1991 economic liberalisation as finance minister and later combined high growth with...

Legislators and politicians

In order of birth

1891-1956B. R. AmbedkarDalit leader, economist and principal architect of India's constitution, who fought untouchability, pressed for reservations and women's rights, and...

Revolutionaries

In order of birth

1869-1948Mahatma GandhiIndian independence leader and lawyer who developed satyagraha, a method of nonviolent resistance, and campaigned for self-rule, Hindu-Muslim unity...

FAQ

India: questions

Which political figures from India are on PoliticalTests?

6 figures from India, born between 1869 and 1932, including 4 heads of state or government. Each has a profile with sources. Leaders still active in politics are not included.

Where do figures from India sit on the political compass?

On the economic axis, 4 sit on the left, 1 near the centre and 1 on the right. Up and down the compass, 2 are on the authority side, 1 near the middle and 3 on the liberty side.

How are these positions worked out?

Each person is placed on the 12 axes of the 12 Axes Political Test from their own speeches, writings, votes and record in office, with sources on every profile page. The compass shows two of those measures: economic views across, and the mean of the civil and society axes up and down. The placements describe stated positions, not character or success in office.

More countries

All countries

Political Figures of India