chap 2

• Ideology


  • A political belief system
  • An action-orientated set of political ideas
  • The ideas of the ruling class
  • The world view of a particular social class or social group
  • Political ideas that embody or articulate class or social interests
  • Ideas that situate the individual within a social context and generate a sense of collective belonging
  • An officially sanctioned set of ideas used to legitimise a political system or regime
  • An abstract and highly systematic set of political ideas
• The term 'ideology' was first used in public by Antoine Destutt de Tracy


  1796
• According to de Tracy, idéologie referred to a new "science of ideas", or an idea-ology, like in biology, or psychology
• Ideology (in political science)


  A collection of normative beliefs and values that an individual or group holds for other than purely epistemic reasons
• Characteristics of Political Ideology

  • Provides the basis for organised political action, whether this is intended to preserve, modify or overthrow the existing system of power structure
  • Offers an account of the existing order, usually in the form of a "world view"
  • Advances a model of a desired future, a vision of the "good society"
  • Explains how political change can and should be brought about – how to get from (a) to (b)
• We are basically going to be looking at many of the words ending in –ism, such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism, communism, religious fundamentalism, feminism, totalitarianism etc.
• Liberalism


  The ideology of the 'industrialised West' with a focus on a particular set of values: the individual, freedom, reason, justice, toleration
• Liberalism


  • Emerged as a result of the breakdown of feudalism and the development, in its stead, of a capitalist society
• Individualism


  The central principle of liberalism
• Freedom


  The principal attribute of liberal ideology
• Reason


  Liberals think that individuals have the capacity to correctly decide matters concerning their interest
• Equality


  Liberals are committed to political equality and to legal equality
• Toleration


  Assures individual liberty and social enrichment
• Consent


  Or agreement forms the basis of social relationships and authority in the minds of liberals
• Constitutionalism


  Liberals advocate results from the diffusion of government power
• Classical Liberalism


  Committed to an extreme form of individualism which underscores the self-interest and self-sufficiency of human beings
• Modern Liberalism


  Holds that capitalism which is not subject to regulation will merely give rise to injustices
• Thomas Hobbes


  English philosopher who tutored King Charles II and wrote the book Leviathan (1651) wherein he discussed the "social contract theory" which has served as a pillar of Western Liberal philosophy
• John Locke


  Western liberalism owes much of its beginnings to this political philosopher, who wrote Two Treatises of Government (1689)
• Conservatism


  Defined by the desire to preserve institutions and is reflected in a resistance to, or at least suspicion of change
• Central beliefs of conservatism

  • Tradition
  • Pragmatism
  • Human imperfection
  • Organicism
  • Hierarchy
  • Authority
  • Property
• Tradition


  Conservatives argue for the preservation of "tradition", in particular with regards to values, practices and institutions
• Pragmatism


  Conservatives frown on abstract principles and system of thought because of the perceived limits of human rationality, and place their faith on experience, history, and the belief that practical circumstances and practical goals should control human action
• Human imperfection


  Conservatives argue that human beings are imperfect and not perfectible, thus they will need stability and security in their lives, which the government can provide
• Organicism


  Characteristics by a hierarchy of positions: individuals occupy different positions in society because they perform different roles and responsibilities, which produces social cohesion and gives individuals a clear sense of who they are and what is expected of them
• Property


  Conservatives have a firm belief in the importance of owning property, and encourage private savings and investment in property; property is seen to be a way of creating a stable world
• Edmund Burke


  The father of modern Anglo-American conservatism, who was critical of the French Revolution in his work Reflection on the Revolution in France (1790)
• Socialism


  An ideology that stands in opposition to capitalism and proposes an alternative which is more humane and equitable
• Socialism


  • Community
  • Fraternity
  • Cooperation
  • Social Equality
  • Needs
  • Class politics
  • Common ownership
• Community


  Human beings are tied to one another by the bonds of a common humanity
• Cooperation


  Socialists believe that the natural relationship among humans is one of cooperation rather than competition
• Social Equality


  Socialists are committed to equality, which is equality of outcomes as opposed to equality of opportunity, and the exercise of legal and political rights is also assured when there is social equality
• Needs


  Socialists believe that the basis of the distribution of material benefits should be need, rather than merit or work, as per Marx's communist principle of "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need"
• Human beings are connected by comradeship because they share a common humanity
• Cooperation


  Preferable to competition
• Individualism


  In favour of collectivism
• Competition is not desirable because it is cause of rivalries and conflict among individuals who have to defeat others to get to the top
• Socialists believe that the natural relationship among humans is one of cooperation rather than competition
• Beliefs of Socialists


  • Committed to equality
  • Equality of outcomes is important
  • Exercise of legal and political rights is assured when there is social equality
  • Distribution of material benefits should be based on need, rather than merit or work
  • Marx's communist principle of "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need"
• Emphasis is on social class as the determining factor of society