The Political Spectrum Communism Communism Socialism Socialism Reform Liberalism Reform Liberalism Classical Liberalism Classical Liberalism Conservatism Conservatism Fascism Fascism

What is politics? What comes to mind when you think of Political systems? What comes to mind when you think of Political systems? Hitler  Mussolini 

Conservatism Basic Principles: Basic Principles: TraditionTradition Social StabilitySocial Stability Society as FunctionalSociety as Functional OrderOrder All individuals work for the collective good by fulfilling their role in their social station in the social structure.All individuals work for the collective good by fulfilling their role in their social station in the social structure.

Conservatism (cont’d) Historical Origin: Historical Origin: 18th Century18th Century Feudal SocietyFeudal Society Role of Government: Role of Government: Rules in the interest the social order, the interest of the wealthyRules in the interest the social order, the interest of the wealthy Minimal / modest role for governmentMinimal / modest role for government

Conservatism (cont’d) Individual: Individual: subservient to the collective goodsubservient to the collective good Human Nature: Human Nature: innate and fixedinnate and fixed must be regulatedmust be regulated

Conservatism (cont’d) Economic Base: Economic Base: Agrarian to Capitalist to...Agrarian to Capitalist to... Economic Freedom:High Economic Freedom:High Economic Equality:Low Economic Equality:Low Freedom of Thought and Belief: High Freedom of Thought and Belief: High Freedom of Expression: Moderate Freedom of Expression: Moderate

Conservatism (cont’d) Country & Time: Country & Time: England and Canada: early to late 19th CenturyEngland and Canada: early to late 19th Century Writer / Theorist: Writer / Theorist: William PaleyWilliam Paley

Classical Liberalism Basic Principles: Basic Principles: Supremacy of Individual Liberty and RightsSupremacy of Individual Liberty and Rights The greatest good for all results from unrestricted freedom of the individualThe greatest good for all results from unrestricted freedom of the individual Individual freedom: political, economicIndividual freedom: political, economic Progress is Good, and results from individual freedom of actionProgress is Good, and results from individual freedom of action

Classical Liberalism (cont’d) Competition and struggle for existence amongst all is good Competition and struggle for existence amongst all is good Each person achieves according to their innate ability Each person achieves according to their innate ability Meritocracy Meritocracy Government impedes individual liberty, personal, political and economic, to the detriment of all Government impedes individual liberty, personal, political and economic, to the detriment of all Modelled on a view of nature as competitive, survival of the fittest Modelled on a view of nature as competitive, survival of the fittest

Classical Liberalism (cont’d) Historical Origin: Historical Origin: England in the 1830’sEngland in the 1830’s Role of Government: Role of Government: Absolute minimumAbsolute minimum A negative forceA negative force It detracts from the liberty of the individualIt detracts from the liberty of the individual

Classical Liberalism (cont’d) Individual Individual Should have complete and unrestricted freedom: political and economicShould have complete and unrestricted freedom: political and economic Human Nature: Human Nature: Inherently acts on self-interestInherently acts on self-interest and selfishness Dollarsign Bag 

Classical Liberalism (cont’d) Economic Base: Economic Base: Industrialization to Capitalism to...Industrialization to Capitalism to... Economic Freedom:Very high Economic Freedom:Very high Economic Equality:Very Low Economic Equality:Very Low Freedom of Thought and Belief: Very High Freedom of Thought and Belief: Very High Freedom of Expression: Very High Freedom of Expression: Very High

Classical Liberalism (cont’d) Country & Time: Country & Time: England and the U.S. in late 19th Century England and the U.S. in late 19th Century Writer / Theorist: Writer / Theorist: Adam SmithAdam Smith Thomas HuxleyThomas Huxley William SpencerWilliam Spencer Thomas Huxley

Reform Liberalism Basic Principles: Basic Principles: Individual freedom must be tempered by collective action for the improvement of individual and collective welfareIndividual freedom must be tempered by collective action for the improvement of individual and collective welfare Progress is good, change is goodProgress is good, change is good Inequalities of opportunity exist in the social structure, and government should address this to provide equality of opportunity for allInequalities of opportunity exist in the social structure, and government should address this to provide equality of opportunity for all

Reform Liberalism (cont’d) Historical Origin: Historical Origin: England and North America in the late 19th and early 20th CenturyEngland and North America in the late 19th and early 20th Century Role of Government: Role of Government: has a positive role in society and the economyhas a positive role in society and the economy government intervention to regulate and manage the economy for the wellbeing of allgovernment intervention to regulate and manage the economy for the wellbeing of all government intervenes to protect minority rightsgovernment intervenes to protect minority rights

Reform Liberalism (cont’d) Individual: Individual: a primary valuea primary value individual liberty and freedom is important, but government action is necessary to ensure this for allindividual liberty and freedom is important, but government action is necessary to ensure this for all Human Nature: Human Nature: basically goodbasically good government creates social conditions that allow individuals to flourishgovernment creates social conditions that allow individuals to flourish

Reform Liberalism (cont’d) Economic Base: Economic Base: Industrial to Capitalist to...Industrial to Capitalist to... Economic Freedom:High Economic Freedom:High Economic Equality:Moderate Economic Equality:Moderate Freedom of Thought and Belief: Very High Freedom of Thought and Belief: Very High Freedom of Expression: High Freedom of Expression: High

Reform Liberalism (cont’d) Country & Time: Country & Time: England and Canada in the early 20th CenturyEngland and Canada in the early 20th Century Writer/Theorist:John Maynard Keynes Writer/Theorist:John Maynard Keynes

Socialism Basic Principles: Basic Principles: An economic and class understanding of societyAn economic and class understanding of society Economic classes have conflicting interests, and society evolves towards power in the hands of the working class.Economic classes have conflicting interests, and society evolves towards power in the hands of the working class. The collective good takes precedence over self-interest of individualsThe collective good takes precedence over self-interest of individuals Humans are fundamentally social beings and their fulfillment is in social groupsHumans are fundamentally social beings and their fulfillment is in social groups

Socialism (cont’d) Historical Origin: Historical Origin: England in the 19th CenturyEngland in the 19th Century Role of Government: Role of Government: The government intervenes to prevent economic exploitation of workers by capitalistsThe government intervenes to prevent economic exploitation of workers by capitalists The government manages the economy in the interest of the citizens to ensure the economic wellbeing of all.The government manages the economy in the interest of the citizens to ensure the economic wellbeing of all. Public or collective ownership over the resources and infrastructure of the societyPublic or collective ownership over the resources and infrastructure of the society

Socialism (cont’d) Individual Individual The rights and desires of individuals are subordinate to the wellbeing and welfare of the majorityThe rights and desires of individuals are subordinate to the wellbeing and welfare of the majority Human Nature: Human Nature: Humans are fundamentally social beings and their fulfillment is in social groupsHumans are fundamentally social beings and their fulfillment is in social groups

Socialism (cont’d) Economic Base: Economic Base: IndustrialIndustrial Collective or public ownership of resources and industryCollective or public ownership of resources and industry Economic Freedom:Low Economic Freedom:Low Economic Equality:High Economic Equality:High Freedom of Thought and Belief: High Freedom of Thought and Belief: High Freedom of Expression: Moderate Freedom of Expression: Moderate

Socialism (cont’d) Country & Time: Country & Time: Northern Europe Early 19 th CenturyNorthern Europe Early 19 th Century Writer / Theorist:Robert Owen, Jean-Jaccques Rousseau, Henri de Saint-Simon Writer / Theorist:Robert Owen, Jean-Jaccques Rousseau, Henri de Saint-Simon Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Communism Basic Principles: Basic Principles: An economic class understanding of societyAn economic class understanding of society A determinist understand of an inevitable historical evolution to a classless society based on the conflict between the working class and the capitalist classA determinist understand of an inevitable historical evolution to a classless society based on the conflict between the working class and the capitalist class A strong central government is necessary to impose government control of the resources, industry and productive base of the society in the interests of allA strong central government is necessary to impose government control of the resources, industry and productive base of the society in the interests of all TotalitarianTotalitarian

Communism (cont’d) Historical Origin: Historical Origin: U.S.S.R.U.S.S.R. Role of Government: Role of Government: highly interventionist in the politics and economy of the countryhighly interventionist in the politics and economy of the country

In Soviet Russia… NOTES TAKE YOU!

Communism (cont’d) Individual: Individual: individuals are subordinate to the wellbeing and interests of allindividuals are subordinate to the wellbeing and interests of all Human Nature: Human Nature: Humans are fundamentally social beings and their fulfillment is in social groupsHumans are fundamentally social beings and their fulfillment is in social groups Stalin 

Communism (cont’d) Economic Base: Economic Base: Industrial, sometimes agrarianIndustrial, sometimes agrarian State capitalist?State capitalist? Economic Freedom:Very Low Economic Freedom:Very Low Economic Equality:Very High Economic Equality:Very High Freedom of Thought and Belief: Low Freedom of Thought and Belief: Low Freedom of Expression: Low Freedom of Expression: Low

Communism (cont’d) Country & Time: Country & Time: U.S.S.R, U.S.S.R, China, post 1949China, post 1949 Writer / Theorist: Writer / Theorist: Lenin Lenin  Karl Marx (communist manifesto)Karl Marx (communist manifesto) Note: Divergence between Communism as a philosophy and historical political system Note: Divergence between Communism as a philosophy and historical political system

Hearing Lenin Russian Civil War Era Speech Russian Civil War Era Speech Russian Ideologist and Communist leader Vladimir Lenin speaking during the Russian Civil War ( )

Fascism Basic Principles: Basic Principles: An ultra-conservative and ultra-nationalist approach to social structureAn ultra-conservative and ultra-nationalist approach to social structure The good social order is achieved by a totalitarian state that manages society and the economy towards military and state powerThe good social order is achieved by a totalitarian state that manages society and the economy towards military and state power Complete government and state regulation of individuals’ rights and the economy in the interest of the stateComplete government and state regulation of individuals’ rights and the economy in the interest of the state Glorification of a past ideal time and military powerGlorification of a past ideal time and military power

Adolf Hitler  Adolf Hitler 

Fascism (cont’d) Historical Origin: Historical Origin: Italy in the 1920’sItaly in the 1920’s Germany in the 1930’sGermany in the 1930’s Role of Government: Role of Government: The government is the supreme power in society, and directs the political and economic system in the interest of the fascist stateThe government is the supreme power in society, and directs the political and economic system in the interest of the fascist state

Fascism (cont’d) Individual: Individual: The individual is completely subordinate to the interests of the stateThe individual is completely subordinate to the interests of the state Human Nature: Human Nature: human fulfillment is found in serving the interests of the fascist statehuman fulfillment is found in serving the interests of the fascist state

Fascism (cont’d) Economic Base: Economic Base: Industrial and capitalistIndustrial and capitalist Capitalist production is directed by the state for the interests of the stateCapitalist production is directed by the state for the interests of the state Economic Freedom:Low Economic Freedom:Low Economic Equality:Low Economic Equality:Low Freedom of Thought and Belief: Low Freedom of Thought and Belief: Low Freedom of Expression: Very Low Freedom of Expression: Very Low

Fascism (cont’d) Country & Time: Country & Time: Italy in the 1920s and 1930sItaly in the 1920s and 1930s Germany in the 1930sGermany in the 1930s Writer / Theorist: Writer / Theorist: Benito Mussolini 

Hitler’s Beerhall Speech Hitler’s Beerhall Speech Footage taken from a movie depicting Hitler speaking to a crowded Munich beerhall, typical of his early methods of spreading his ideals.

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