The Political Compass is a tool used to categorize political ideologies along two axes: economic (left to right) and social (authoritarian to libertarian). The horizontal axis represents economic beliefs, with the left advocating for more government intervention in the economy and the right favoring free-market principles. The vertical axis reflects social beliefs, where authoritarianism emphasizes strict social order and libertarianism promotes individual freedoms. This framework allows individuals to better understand their own political views and those of others. By plotting positions on this grid, the Political Compass provides a more nuanced perspective than the traditional left-right spectrum, highlighting the complexity of political beliefs.