POSC 1000 Introduction to Politics Russell Alan Williams

Unit Three: Ideologies Required Reading: Mintz, Chaps. 3,4 & 5. Unit Objectives: Explore “democratic theory” and different ideologies Outline: 1. Introduction – The democratic ideal 2. Political Ideologies 3. Liberalism 4. Conservatism 5. Socialism 6. Fascism 7. Newer Ideologies

1) Introduction “the democratic ideal”: “Democracy”: Rule by the people; or, popular rule Most states democracies... Or claim to be Democratic values spread rapidly in 20 th century Virtues? Effective way to define “common good” Ensures “legitimacy” – means democracies more “effective”? Promotes equality

Problems? Plato  Mob rule and demagogues – the tyranny of the majority –Most people lack information to make good choices (?) Modern analysis –“Rent seeking” behavior –“Patronage” How democratic are democracies? –E.g. Elitism vs. pluralism

Types of Democracy: i) “ Direct Democracy ” : System in which citizens make the governing decisions Direct Debate and direct votes E.g. Greek states & 18 th century America Problems? Defining citizenship... Right to participate Scale Possible in modern world?

ii) “ Representative Democracy ” : Citizens elect representatives to govern on their behalf “ Legislature ” : Body of representatives responsible for: –Passing laws –Raising and spending taxes E.g. Assemblies, Parliaments and Congress Some legislatures also select the government... Problems? What is represented? Are legislatures effective? E.g. “ Executive Dominance ”

iii) “ Liberal Democracy ” : Combines liberal ideals of limited government with representative democracy “ Liberalism ” : Ideology supporting individual freedom and rights of each individual Stop excesses of majority rule... E.g. Legal rules limiting what legislatures can do Most developed nations are liberal democracies Problems? Some people think liberal principles limited, need for more effort at equality “ Social Democracy ” : Capitalism must be reformed as meaningful democracy requires more social and economic equality

iv) “ Plebiscitary Democracy ” : Use of more direct votes than is case in representative democracy “ Populism ” an ideology (or rhetoric?) that suggests putting more power in hands of people rather than “ elites ” “ Referendums ” : Votes by citizens on some laws “ Initiatives ” : Referendums initiated by citizens “ Recall ” : Process which allows citizens to remove representatives from office. Petition by registered voters can trigger a “ by-election ” Examples? How common? Problems? Complexity vs. voter information Still dominated by elites – interest groups and media

v) “ Deliberative Democracy ” : Political decisions made based on discussion by citizens rather than by elected officials Tries to recover face to face exchange of direct democracy E.g. BC Citizens ’ Assembly “ Citizens ’ Jury ” : Randomly selected individuals which deliberate about policies and make recommendations Increasingly popular – used for issues “ too difficult ” for parties and legislatures to handle Problems?

Challenges to Democracy? i) Nationalism and nation states: Democracy works best inside communities of common identity –City states or nation states Reality of modern world – multination states do not fit majority rule Solutions? 1. Liberal Democracy 2. “Federal System”: Democratic system where sovereign authority is divided or shared between central and regional governments. Each gains authority form constitution Reduces “majoritarian tyranny”

ii) Globalisation: Democratic ideal assumes citizens have control over own well being Glob. increases role of external forces in deciding allocation of resources Glob. Increases “cosmopolitan citizenship” erodes group identities necessary to democracy “social cohesion”

1) Political Ideologies: “Political Ideology”: Package of interrelated ideas about government, society, the economy and human nature Each is descriptive – how the world works Each is prescriptive – how the world should be Most modern ideologies derive from the “Enlightenment”: 18 th century intellectual movement Human reason could be more effectively used to understand an improve the world Challenged traditional role of Church and faith?

Problems? Text: Ideology can be used to justify the unjustifiable.... –E.g. Cambodia and Khmer Rouge Popular culture: Ideologies are bad –Era of “pragmatism”? –Liberalism so dominant we no longer “recognize” ideologies However... without ideology politics is just a struggle for power...

Organizing ideologies: a) “Left vs. Right continuum” - Based on attitudes towards free market capitalism & traditional values “Left”: Support greater social and economic equality, oppose traditional religious values (?) “Right”: Support traditional values, oppose state “innovations” to promote equality Popular typology, but problematic E.g. “Totalitarian” states: Those that attempt to control all aspects of life

3) Liberalism: Emerged in Europe – Enlightenment -> Locke, Mill, Smith and Ricardo Description: Self interested individuals use own reason to guide behavior Prescription: Set individual reason free and remake world Support: Individual rights and freedoms “ Rule of Law ” : People should be subject to known, predictable and impartial rules, rather then the arbitrary wishes of a monarch. –Rulers and ruled should be equally subject to the law Proscription: Social privileges and power structures that can not be supported by reason... E.g. “ Divine right of Kings ”

Types of Liberalism: “ Classical Liberalism ” : Committed to limited government and the free market E.g. John Locke ( ) “ Laissez-Faire System ” : Markets better than government in allocating resources – let individuals and business freely interact

“ Reform Liberalism ” : Support for individual freedom etc., but belief that some state involvement necessary to remove obstacles to individual development. Combine equal rights with equal opportunity... E.g. State funding for education – create opportunity for all Closely associated with “ Keynesianism ”

4) Conservatism: Critical response to enlightenment liberalism Emphasizes value of order, stability and tradition. Source: Edmund Burke ( )

Description: Humans are weak = need for authority to check irresponsible desires Prescription: Support institutions and ideas that promote stability and social order E.g. Marriage, family and religion Traditional institutions good even if reason suggests otherwise E.g. The British Monarchy Property rights

Proscription: Gov’ts should not be activist - promoting change E.g. Promoting equality

Types of conservatism? Economic conservatives – shared values with “laissez faire liberals E.g. “Neo-liberalism”: Rejection of reform liberalism – return to limited state interference in economy Often associated with “Neo-conservatism/New Right” “New Right”: Critical reaction to rise of reform liberalism and new ideologies like feminism Combine neo-liberalism with conservative social values Some times internally at odds.... Social or traditional conservatives – Traditional values more important than economic conservatism E.g. Paternalism and “Red Torys”

“Reactionary” conservatives: Those who favor a return to traditional values Not really an ideology, but...

4) Socialism: Emphasis on human society Capitalism undermines social nature of human communities Critical response to liberalism and free markets Key source: Karl Marx ( )

Description: Humans are social = highly cooperative Prescription: Economic equality – “equality of condition” rather than equal rights Social ownership of “means of production” Proscription: Capitalism E.g. David HarveyDavid Harvey

Types: “Communism”: Private property should be replaced by communal ownership Will emerge inevitably? “Historical Materialism”: Historical development driven by way economy is organized Capitalism will fail... “Leninism”: Communism should be achieved by revolution

“Democratic Socialism”: Socialism should be achieved by democracy Socialism combined with liberal democracy??? Voters will choose socialist parties that will implement “socialism” = Optimistic and liberal(?) view of human nature “Social Democracy”: Modern evolution of democratic socialism E.g. Most “social democratic” political parties More focus on reducing inequality than communal ownership of production Question: How different is this from “reform liberalism”?

4) Fascism: Aggressive nationalism combined with an acceptance of inequality as natural Liberalism and socialism are utopian failures. E.g. “Nazism”: form of fascism advocated by Adolph Hitler based on racial superiority

Description: Human reason is limited Humans naturally adhere to their “nation” Prescription: Individual should be subordinate to needs of nation-state Strong state more important than individual rights/democracy Inequality is either natural or good “Social Darwinism”: use of evolutionary theory to argue that conflict and competition allow humanity to evolve Proscription: Socialist organizations – fighting socialism has been key to “successes” of fascism

Fascism has a bad name.... E.g. The “Holocaust” Has reduced its modern relevance... however there are modern forms: “Neo-Fascism” and Neo-Nazi extremist groups

6) Newer Ideologies: Status as ideologies more uncertain – have only begun to influence the way people think about politics... i) “Feminism”: Perspective that seeks equality and independence of women Focused on “Patriarchy”: System in which power is in the hands of men and in which women’s lives are controlled by men.

Description: Society divided into genders – women's subordinate position is “naturalized” Often excluded from benefits of public life Prescription: Agenda has evolved... Then - Pursuit of legal equality (E.g. right to own property and vote) Now - Social and economic equality (E.g. “Pay Equity”) Proscription: Adherence to socially constructed gender roles

Types: “Liberal Feminism”: Focuses on equal legal and political rights End legal patriarchy E.g. the “suffragettes”

“Socialist Feminism”: Women oppressed by both patriarchy and capitalism E.g. contradictions of women's employment in capitalist labour market = More radicalism... “Radical Feminism”: Society based fundamentally on oppression of women. Patriarchy is not just legal and economic it is personal “Personal is political” = “liberation” Results in wider critiques of the images of women in society “Objectification”

ii) “Environmentalism”: Sees need for humans to change relationship with nature Politics and economics must be limited by natural constraints of ecosystem Description: Society supported by finite natural ecosystem Traditional ideologies ignore this “Anthropocentrism” vs. “Ecocentrism”

Prescription: Recognition of “limits to growth” based on exploitation of natural resources Non-renewable resources “Sustainability”: Use of resources should not exceed ability to replace them, or damage the integrity of the ecosystem. Fundamental change in attitudes needed Proscription: Irresponsible consumerism at centre of modern economy.

Types: “Reform Environmentalism”: Better science, technology and environmental management can solve problem. E.g. Pollution reducing technology “Deep Ecology”: Society must fundamentally redefine its relationship with nature – need for an “environmental consciousness” “Social Ecology” and “Ecofeminsm”: Economic and political hierarchies are the cause of both human and environmental problems – need for political and economic reforms

Challenges? Directly contradicts free market capitalism and liberalism We already have a system for assigning value to things – environmentalism challenges this system Globalization and global competition

iii) Religious “fundamentalism”: Revival of religious beliefs as guide to ordering society Attack on all enlightenment thinking “Secular Humanism”: Belief that right principles of life can be derived from reason Examples: Christian “new right” in the US “Islamic Fundamentalism”: Based on strict, literal interpretation of Quran – public and private life governed by religious law. “Radical Islamism”: Political campaign to purify Islamic society from external influences

4) For next time: PART TWO:STUDYING POLITICS: POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND BEHAVIOR Unit Four: Political Culture, Participation, and Socialization Required Reading: Mintz, Chapter 6.