Purity test (politics)
rigid standard to ensure ideological purity
In politics, a purity test is a rigid standard on a specific issue by which a politician or other figure is compared. Purity tests are established to ensure that the subject maintains ideological purity with the ideas supported by a particular group, often a political party or one specific faction of a party. Purity tests are often used in the form of strict in-group and out-group boundaries, where failure of purity tests indicates membership of an out-group. When used in this fashion, purity tests are a form of no true Scotsman fallacy. Purity tests are similar to the concept of litmus tests that are used in political nominations and appointments.
Usage
Indonesia
During the New Order, purity tests were conducted on public servants in order to filter out people suspected to be communists or supportive to the communist cause. This is no longer practiced by the reformation.
United Kingdom
In the 2020s, members of the Labour Party were criticized for applying purity tests to their membership, and it has been attributed by some commentators as a reason for the party's electoral failure in the preceding years. Similar criticisms have also been made toward the Conservative Party in relation to issues such as Brexit.
United States
In American politics, Republicans that are perceived as failing purity tests are referred to as Republicans in Name Only (RINOs).
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