Political Ideologies PDF

**Political Ideologies** **Ideology** system of beliefs about how society should function, behave, and operate set of ideas that provides a basis for organized political action, whether this is intended to preserve, modify or overthrow the existing system of power relationships. **Functions** 1...

**Political Ideologies** **Ideology** system of beliefs about how society should function, behave, and operate set of ideas that provides a basis for organized political action, whether this is intended to preserve, modify or overthrow the existing system of power relationships. **Functions** 1\. offers an account of the existing order by examining what works and what does not work, as well as other various issues and problems that the state and the broader society are confronted with. 2\. Provides a model of a desired social order, a vision of the Good Society 3\. Outlines how political change or the desired social order can be achieved **Major Political Ideologies** +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | L | **Key Ideas** | **core principle** | | | | | | I | | | | | | | | B | | | | | | | | E | | | | | | | | R | | | | | | | | A | | | | | | | | L | | | | | | | | I | | | | | | | | S | | | | | | | | M | | | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | | **Individualism** | ❖ belief in the | | | | supreme importance of | | | | the human | | | | | | | | ❖ human beings are | | | | seen with equal moral | | | | worth; they possess | | | | separate and unique | | | | identities | | | | | | | | ❖ the liberal goal is | | | | to construct a | | | | society within which | | | | individuals can | | | | flourish and develop | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Freedom/Liberty** | ❖ desire to ensure | | | | that each person is | | | | able to act as he or | | | | she pleases or | | | | chooses | | | | | | | | ❖ advocate 'freedom | | | | under the law', as | | | | they recognize that | | | | one person's liberty | | | | may be a threat to | | | | the liberty of others | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Reason** | a rational structure | | | | uncovered through the | | | | exercise of human | | | | reason and by | | | | critical enquiry. | | | | | | | | ❖ faith in the | | | | ability of | | | | individuals to make | | | | wise judgments; | | | | | | | | ❖ individuals as the | | | | best judges of their | | | | own interests; | | | | | | | | ❖ belief in progress | | | | and the capacity of | | | | human beings to | | | | resolve their | | | | differences | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Equality** | the belief that | | | | individuals are 'born | | | | equal', at least in | | | | terms of moral worth | | | | | | | | ❖ legal equality | | | | ('equality before the | | | | law'); | | | | | | | | ❖ political equality | | | | ('one person, one | | | | vote; one vote, one | | | | value'). | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Tolerance** | The willingness to | | | | allow others to | | | | think, speak and act | | | | in ways which they | | | | disapprove. This | | | | promotes debate and | | | | intellectual | | | | progress. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Consent** | advocate that | | | | authority and social | | | | relationships should | | | | always be based on | | | | consent or willing | | | | agreement. | | | | | | | | Under this idea, the | | | | government must | | | | therefore be based on | | | | the 'consent of the | | | | governed'. | | | | | | | | Authority is always | | | | grounded in | | | | legitimacy | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | C | **Tradition** | 'the desire to | | | | conserve' | | **O** | | | | | | It respects | | **N** | | established customs | | | | and institutions that | | **S** | | have endured through | | | | time. | | **E** | | | | | | Tradition reflects | | **R** | | the accumulated | | | | wisdom of the past, | | **V** | | and institutions and | | | | practices that have | | **A** | | been 'tested by | | | | time', and it should | | **T** | | be preserved for the | | | | benefit of the living | | **I** | | and for generations | | | | yet to come. | | **S** | | | | | | | | **M** | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Pragmatism** | It is the belief that | | | | action should be | | | | shaped by practical | | | | circumstances and | | | | practical goals, that | | | | is, by 'what works'. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Human | human beings are | | | Imperfection** | limited, dependent, | | | | and security-seeking | | | | creatures, drawn to | | | | the familiar and the | | | | tried and tested. | | | | Human beings are | | | | needing to live in | | | | stable and orderly | | | | communities. The | | | | maintenance of order | | | | requires a strong | | | | state, the | | | | enforcement of strict | | | | laws, and stiff | | | | penalties. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Authority** | Conservatives hold | | | | that, to some degree, | | | | authority is always | | | | exercised 'from | | | | above', providing | | | | leadership, guidance | | | | and support for those | | | | who lack the | | | | knowledge, experience | | | | or education to act | | | | wisely in their own | | | | interests. Authority | | | | and leadership are | | | | seen as resulting | | | | from experience and | | | | training. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Property** | property ownership as | | | | being vital because | | | | it gives people | | | | security and a | | | | measure of | | | | independence from | | | | government, and it | | | | encourages them to | | | | respect the law and | | | | the property of | | | | others. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | S | **Community** | the vision of human | | | | beings as social | | O | | creatures linked by | | | | the existence of a | | C | | common humanity. | | | | | | I | | It highlights the | | | | importance of | | A | | community, and the | | | | degree to which | | L | | individual identity | | | | is fashioned by | | I | | social interaction | | | | and membership of | | S | | social groups and | | | | collective bodies. | | M | | | | | | Socialists are | | | | inclined to emphasize | | | | nurture over nature, | | | | and to explain | | | | individual behavior | | | | mainly in terms of | | | | social factors, | | | | rather than innate | | | | qualities | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Fraternity** | It is sharing a | | | | common humanity. | | | | Humans are bound | | | | together by a sense | | | | of comradeship or | | | | fraternity (literally | | | | meaning | | | | 'brotherhood') | | | | broadened to embrace | | | | all humans. | | | | | | | | Socialism prefers | | | | cooperation over | | | | competition and | | | | favors collectivism | | | | over individualism. | | | | | | | | Cooperation enables | | | | people to harness | | | | their collective | | | | energies/strengthens | | | | the bonds of | | | | community | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Social Equality** | It emphasizes | | | | equality of outcome | | | | as opposed to | | | | equality of | | | | opportunity. The | | | | measure of social | | | | equality is looked | | | | upon as guarantee of | | | | social stability and | | | | cohesion | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Needs** | It is the belief that | | | | material benefits | | | | should be distributed | | | | on the basis of need, | | | | rather than simply on | | | | the basis of merit or | | | | work: 'From each | | | | according to his | | | | ability, to each | | | | according to his | | | | need'. | | | | | | | | The satisfaction of | | | | basic needs (hunger, | | | | thirst, shelter, | | | | health, personal | | | | security and so on) | | | | is a prerequisite for | | | | a worthwhile human | | | | existence and | | | | participation in | | | | social life | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Social Class** | Socialism has | | | | traditionally been | | | | associated with the | | | | interests of an | | | | oppressed and | | | | exploited working | | | | class - regarded the | | | | working class as an | | | | agent of social | | | | change. The socialist | | | | goal is the | | | | eradication of | | | | economic and social | | | | inequalities, or | | | | their substantial | | | | reduction. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | **Common Ownership** | The socialist case | | | | for common ownership | | | | is that it is a means | | | | of harnessing | | | | material resources to | | | | the common good, with | | | | private property | | | | being seen to promote | | | | selfishness, | | | | acquisitiveness and | | | | social division. | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | | | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ | **Types of | **Types of | **Types of | | Liberalism** | Conservatism** | Socialism** | +=======================+=======================+=======================+ | Classical Liberalism | Traditional | Revolutionary | | | conservatism | Socialism | | Progressive | | | | liberalism | One-Nation | Democratic Socialism | | | Conservatism | | | Neo-liberalism | | Social Democracy | | | Liberal Conservatism | | +-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+ +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Perspective of the state | | +===================================+===================================+ | **Liberalism** | - Views the state as a tool or | | | instrument of social order | | | | | | - Recognizes the state in | | | providing equal opportunities | | | to all citizens | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | **Conservatism** | - Links the state with the need | | | to provide authority and | | | discipline in order to | | | protect society from chaos | | | and social disorder. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | **Socialism** | - Considers the state as | | | embodiment of the common good | | | and approves government | | | intervention in implementing | | | laws concerning the welfare | | | of the citizens. | | | | | | - Cooperation is more important | | | than competition | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+