Labeling our Ideas: Contrasting Political Ideologies

Political ideologies A set of ideas, perceptions, values & beliefs through which individuals interpret social, political and economic events and formulate opinions on how the world ought to be Like a ‘filter’ or ‘lens’ Ideologies shape our attitudes & actions

Definition Ideology: a set of more or less coherent set of ideas that provides a basis for organized political action. This might be to preserve, modify or overthrow the existing system of power relationships –offer an account of the existing order usually in the form of a ’world view’ –offer a model of a desired future –outline how political change can and should be brought about At a fundamental level = a political philosophy At an operative level = broad political movement

Mapping the Ideological Landscape Understanding the traditional ‘grand ideologies’ of liberal capitalist society: –Conservatism –Liberalism –Socialism

Main political ideologies Liberalism –Classical –Modern Conservatism The New Right –Neo-liberalism –Neo conservatism Socialism –Variants of marxism –Social democracy –Third way

Adding some complexity…

The “Left-wing / Right-wing” ideological spectrum

Philosophical approaches PhilosophersNature of the state Nature of the Individual Theories Liberalism or Idealism Kant, Locke,Bad to good to non-existent In essence good and corrupted through external actors Liberalism Rationalism Essentialism Pluralism RealismHobbes, MachiavelliRational interest Self-seeking rational actor requiring Leviathan Game theory, rational action, logical administration MarxismMarx, LeninReflecting specific class interest-biased towards a specific status quo Social being reflecting the interests of their economic, political, and social position Structuralism Dependency theories Neo-imperialism Elitism Class theories

Other ideological traditions Fascism Anarchism Feminism Environmentalism Religious fundamentalism

Political Culture Political Culture: A set of ideas, assumptions and values that condition political attitudes and behaviour A ‘collective phenomena’ – people don’t have political cultures, communities or societies do Shaped by the dominant ideology, but comprised of several (mainstream) ideologies Sets the boundaries of the dominant ‘common sense’

To conclude Ideologies link political theory with political practice –BJP in India; Taleban in Afghanistan; New Right in Europe and USA; etc. Ideologies ’fit’ contexts and therefore become weakened and/or changed over time as contexts change. The ’relevance’ factor. Ideologies often carry their own seeds of destruction as they are resistant to change. But they are important to understand how politics are approached and promoted