POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES

and
PROCESSES

Jose Ricarte B. Origenes

 IDEOLOGY
• There is no settled or agreed definition of the
term, only a collection of rival definitions.
(Heywood)
• Ideology is the most elusive concept in the whole
of the social sciences. (David McLellan, 1995)
• The word ideology was coined during the French
Revolution by Antoine Destutt de Tracy (1754–
1836), and was first used in public in 1796.
 IDEOLOGY
• An ideology begins with the belief that things can be
better; it is a plan to improve society.
• As Anthony Downs put it, ideology is “a verbal image of
the good society, and of the chief means of
constructing such a society.”
• Political ideologies are not political science; they are
not calm, rational attempts to understand political
systems. Rather, they are commitments to change
political systems.
• Ideologues make poor political scientists, for they
confuse the “should” or “ought” of ideology with the
“is” of political science.
 MEANINGS ATTACHED TO 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 propagate false consciousness amongst the exploited or
oppressed.
• Ideas that situate the individual within a social context and
generate a sense of collective belonging.
• An officially sanctioned set of ideas used to legitimize a political
system or regime.
• An all-embracing political doctrine that claims a monopoly of truth.
• An abstract and highly systematic set of political ideams.
 The role of ideas in politics
How Ideology Influences Politics…
• What people think and believe about society,
power, rights, etc., determines their actions
• Everything has to pass through the mind before a
person acts
• How do ideas and beliefs appear in our minds?
• Critical examination of reality – thinking for oneself
• Influence of others’– family, community, education,
mass media, etc.
Some forms of teaching imprison the mind
Others liberate the mind, enabling it to think critically…
 2 Central Concepts
• Political culture – the broad pattern of political
orientations shared by a large group of people (a
nation, a region, a social class, an ethnic group,
etc.)
• Political ideology – a system of political ideas,
developed for the purposes of political action
(governing a country, launching a social
movement or a political party, organizing a
revolution – or a counterrevolution, etc.)
 What are political ideologies for?

• To provide people with programs of political action

that will govern societies or ultimately lead to change
• For integration or conflict, you need an ideology – a
coherent set of ideas for purposeful action

• The earliest ideologies were religions. Many of the earliest

rulers in history were priests.

• In the Modern Age, political ideologies have become

increasingly secular (non-religious, some anti-religious),
but religion still continues to serve as an important source
for ideology
 Orthodoxy vs. Pluralism

At issue: Orthodoxy vs. Pluralism

• Orthodoxy (pre-modern view linked to
conservatism): is traditional in nature, the rulers
maintains one ideology as dominant – to foster
unity and harmony in society. (Political Right)
– UNITY THROUGH UNIFORMITY
• Can work only: in traditional, pre-modern
societies – or, in societies in transition to
modernity, in periods of extreme crisis. Requires
generally low educational levels
 Pluralism
• Pluralism (modern view linked to liberalism): the
rulers allow different ideologies in society to
compete. (Political Left)
UNITY THROUGH TOLERATION OF DIFFERENCES
“E pluribus unum”
• Works better in developed, modern and complex
societies with high educational levels
• Are there limits to toleration? Should some
ideologies be banned?
• Is there such a thing as liberal orthodoxy?
 Political Spectrum: From Left to Right

• Political ideologies, through opposition,

competition, fusion, mixing, etc. exist in
constant interaction with each other
• Together, they form a political spectrum. This
political spectrum is useful as a tool of political
analysis, i.e. to gauge our political views
The terms “Left” and “Right” originate from the seating of the members
of the newly elected French Legislative Assembly in 1791 – during the
French Revolution

The Left: The Right:

Advocates Supporters of
of radical the existing
change, order,
republicans monarchists

King Louis XVI

Legislative Assembly
 Ideologies associated with different fields of
political spectrum
Radicalism – go to Liberalism – expand Conservatism –
LEFT

CENTRIST

RIGHT
the roots of the scope of preserve the status
problems, change freedom, accept quo, oppose
the foundations of change, assert the change
society primacy of Reaction – throw
Socialism – advance individual rights, back the forces of
the interests of develop market change, restore the
society against the economy and old order
interests of elites political pluralism
Fascism – mobilize
Communism – Borrow ideas from the nation for war,
abolish private Left and Right suppress pluralism
property to achieve to achieve unity
equality and social through orthodoxy
harmony, suppress
pluralism to achieve
unity through
orthodoxy
Three major factors which produce,
shape and reshape ideologies:
TIME
CLASS
CRISIS
TIME
The flow of time – and the notion of change
The course of history
Social evolution and development
The centuries of modernization
The issue of change -
social, technological, cultural, economic
Also: age (individuals, countries, systems) and readiness to
embrace change
The influence of liberalism today is partly explained by the fact
that liberalism was created as the ideology of change.
Conservatism’s main problem: how to keep order in a changing
world
CLASS
Each major ideology has its main roots in the interests of
a certain class, or a section of a class, or several
aligned classes
For instance, in 19th century Europe:
Conservative ideologies were rooted in the interests of
landed aristocracy and clergy – classes losing power as
a result of modernization
Liberalism was rooted in the interests of the rising
bourgeoisie
Socialism was rooted in the interests of the working
classes
The special role of the intellectuals in the production of
ideas
CRISIS
A catastrophe (major war, economic collapse,
ecological disaster, famine)
Major deterioration of social conditions
Breakdown of a state
A revolution or a counterrevolution
Crises create powerful demand for new ideas
And people commit themselves to ideas much
more strongly (become more ideological) than in
normal times
 I. Moderate Ideologies
I
A. Conservatism
D D
a) Belief in man’s essential irrationality
O E b) Need for sense of community
M O c) Social hierarchy as inevitable
I L d) High value placed on existing
N O institutions
A G e) Reliance on custom and tradition
f) Faith in supernatural force guiding
N I human affair
T E g) Skeptical view of human nature
S
 I. Moderate Ideologies
I B. Liberalism
D D a) Society as based on social compact
b) Faith in human rational potential
O E c) Emphasis on rights over responsibilities
M O d) Emphasis on minorities
e) Belief in the essential goodness of mankind
I L f) Belief in existence of a single public interest
N O g) Suspicion of concentrated power
G h) Belief in the right of revolution
A
C. Common Features
N I a) Need for limits on Government
T E b) Rejection of extremism
c) Fear of concentrated power
S
 II. Intermediate Ideologies
I A. Populism - an ideology that "pits a virtuous
and homogeneous people against a set of
D D elites and dangerous 'others' who are
O E together depicted as depriving (or
attempting to deprive) the sovereign
M O people of their rights, values, prosperity,
I L identity, and voice". (Albertazzi and
McDonnel)
N O B. Libertarianism - seek to maximize political
A G freedom and autonomy, emphasizing
freedom of choice, voluntary association,
N I individual judgment, and self-ownership.
T E C. Environmentalism – saving the planet
D. Feminism – struggle for gender equality
S
 II. Extreme Ideologies
I A. Leftist
D D a) Communism - a theory or system of social
organization in which all property is owned
O E by the community and each person
contributes and receives according to their
M O ability and needs.
I L b) Socialism - a political and economic theory
of social organization which advocates that
N O the means of production, distribution, and
exchange should be owned or regulated by
A G the community as a whole
N I c) Anarchism - belief in the abolition of all
government and the organization of society
T E on a voluntary, cooperative basis without
recourse to force or compulsion.
S
 DIFFERENCE
COMMUNISM
PHILOSOPHY
From each according to
his ability, to each
according to his needs.
Free-access to the articles
of consumption is made
possible by advances in
technology that allow for
super-abundance.
SOCIALISM
From each according to
his ability, to each
according to his
contribution. Emphasis on
profit being distributed
among the society or
workforce to complement
individual wages/salaries.
 DIFFERENCE
COMMUNISM
IDEAS
All people are the same and
therefore classes make no
sense. The government should
own all means of production
and land and also everything
else. People should work for
the government and the
collective output should be
redistributed equally.
SOCIALISM
All individuals should have
access to basic articles of
consumption and public goods
to allow for self-actualization.
Large-scale industries are
collective efforts and thus the
returns from these industries
must benefit society as a
whole.
 II. Extreme Ideologies
I B. Rightist
D D a) Fascism - an authoritarian and nationalistic
right-wing system of government and social
O E organization.
M O - Conceives of a state as an absolute

I L b) Nazism - (or National Socialism; German:

Nationalsozialismus) is a set of political
N O beliefs associated with the Nazi Party of
A G Germany.
- superior people have a right to dominate
N I over other people and purge society of
T E supposed inferior elements

S
 COMPARISON –
POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY & ECONOMIC POLICY

Left Wing Right Wing

Liberal
Income equality; higher tax
rates on the wealthy;
government spending on social
programs and infrastructure;
stronger regulations on
business.
Conservative
Lower taxes and less regulation
on businesses; reduced
government spending;
balanced budget;

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
 COMPARISON –
HEALTHCARE POLICY
Left Wing Right Wing

Believe that access to Oppose government-

healthcare is one of the provided universal
fundamental rights of all healthcare and the
citizens. Support universal Affordable Care Act. Favor
healthcare, the Affordable competition to Medicare
Care Act, expansion of from private insurance
Medicare and Medicaid. companies; oppose
Medicaid expansion.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
 COMPARISON –
IMMIGRATION POLICY
Left Wing
Pathway to citizenship for
undocumented immigrants;
moratorium on deportations
or prosecutions of
undocumented immigrants
who are young adults and
have no criminal record.
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
Right Wing
No "amnesty" for
undocumented immigrants;
stronger border patrol and
fence to check illegal
immigration. Belief that
illegal immigration is
lowering wages for citizens
and documented
immigrants.
 COMPARISON –
EDUCATION POLICY
Left Wing Right Wing
Favor expanded free, public Believe parents who want to
education. home-school their kids or
send them to private school
should be able to get
vouchers for opting out of
the public school system.
Generally not opposed to
Public education.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
 COMPARISON –
VIEWS ON ABORTION
Left Wing Right Wing
Generally in favor of Generally against
abortion rights, and stem abortion and opposed to
cell research. stem cell research.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
 COMPARISON –
VIEWS ON GAY RIGHTS
Left Wing
Generally support gay
marriage; support anti-
discrimination laws to protect
LGBT against workplace
discrimination.
Right Wing
Generally opposed to gay
marriage; opposed to certain
anti-discrimination laws
because they believe such
laws conflict with certain
religious beliefs and restrict
freedom of religion.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
 COMPARISON –
VIEWS ON GUN RIGHTS
Left Wing Right Wing
In favor of gun control Strongly opposed to gun
laws like background control laws; strong
checks or waiting proponents of the
periods before buying a Second Amendment.
gun; banning automatic
weapons; and
disallowing concealed
weapons.
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
 COMPARISON –
VIEWS ON VOTER ID LAWS
Left Wing Right Wing
Against voter ID laws For voter
citing undue burden identification laws to
on lower income combat voter fraud.
groups causing them
to be
disenfranchised.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
 COMPARISON –
ASSOCIATED POLITICAL PARTIES, IDEOLOGIES,
PROPONENTS

Left Wing Right Wing

Democratic
Social Democracy; Federalism;
Socialism, Communism; Collectivism;
Marxism
Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels,
Einstein, Barack Obama, Francois
Hollande, Barney Frank, Nancy
Pelosi, Noam Chomsky, Warren
Buffett.
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Left_Wing_vs_Right_Wing
Republican
Capitalism; Conservatism
Ronald Reagan, Margaret
Thatcher, George Washington,
Winston Churchill, George W.
Bush, Rupert Murdoch,
 POLITICAL CULTURE
• “a people’s predominant beliefs, attitudes,
values, ideals, sentiments and evaluations
about the political system of its country and
the role of the self in the system” (Key in
Ethridge”