Driving home today, I had the thought that there are basically four types of people. Obviously this is a generalization of sorts, as any categorization is liable to be, but I think it sums up the main types you deal with in the political world. This system stems from what I believe to be the fundamental conflict that divides our political views. That is, the conflict between freedom and control, between liberty and equality, between individualism and collectivism, or one of many other formulations. Using these two competing forces, four types are created, which are detailed below. In this list, the first term describes how people wish to be treated, i.e. the conditions under which they wish to live. The second describes how people wish others to be treated, i.e. how the government/state should treat them.
Freedom/Freedom – This would describe me, and many others described as libertarians, classical liberals, and some conservatives. These are people who generally like to be left alone, and thus largely favor a limited government and minimal social controls. They also would like others to be free, and are willing to accept that this means others will do and say things objectionable. Clearly there must be limits and laws, but by and large "live and let live" is the motto here.
Freedom/Control – This describes a lot of liberals, as well as some conservatives. These people wish the enjoy relative freedom on their own, but want the government to exert control over "other people" by means of things like progressive taxation, redistribution of wealth, social controls, etc. The liberals that fit here are largely the "progressive" types who have no problem succeeding on their own, but resent the success of others. Think people like Micheal Moore, or even Barack Obama, who enjoy living luxurious lives but also long for government control of the "little people."
Control/Control – These people are the rest of the liberals, as well as the remaining conservatives. They desire a strong structure in their own lives, or they desire much to be provided to them by the government and others. They are sometimes willing to accept dependence and even virtual slavery if it means a more comfortable life. Many Obama supporters fit this description, as does anyone who favors an expansive welfare state with many entitlements. These people often also wish to impose their preferences on others.
Control/Freedom – I don't know how many people fit here. I suppose they would be those who wish to be controlled themselves, but see no reason why others shouldn't be free. Most people who wish to be controlled think control is good in general and should be imposed on everyone the same.
Clearly some groups can fit into two or more categories. Social conservatives are one such group that comes to mind. Some simply live life as they choose but accept the rest of the world doing its own thing, while others are more control-oriented and wish to see censorship and social controls. They thus can fit into both Freedom/Freedom and Freedom/Control. Liberals in general favor control of others, and thus would fit into either Freedom/Control or Control/Control. Average moderate types would probably fit in between groups. But largely, the end result is that some people are simply inclined to individualism and freedom, even if it means they have to take responsibility, while some value comfort and security even if it means they lose freedom. Similarly, some see government as a necessary evil, and others see it as a tool for social engineering. Both of these traits speak to a person's basic conception of government and their relationship with it.