POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES

The term ideology coined during the French Revolution and

subsequently used in 1796.
According to Tracy (1754- 1836) Ideologie is a new ‘science
of ideas’ from a literal term idealogy (Haywood, 2012).
Ideology becomes a political weapon to condemn or criticize
opposing arrays of ideas and belief system.

Beliefs are people’s assessment of reality and what they hold

to be true whereas, Values are people’s ideas about right and
wrong. Therefore, when beliefs and values are put together in
a coherent system, they form an ideology.
In social studies, a political ideology is a certain set of
ethical ideas, principles, doctrines, myths or symbols of a
social movement, institution, class or large groups that
explains how society should work, and offers some political
and cultural blueprint for a certain social order.
▪ An ideology is simply a set of beliefs
▪ It comes from the Greek meaning: “the study of ideas”
▪ People can have more than one ideology. For example,
there are religious, personal, or professional ideologies.
▪ A political ideology is just a set of beliefs regarding how a
government should work.
 THE NATURE OF IDEOLOGY
• In the social-scientific sense, ideology is a coherent set of ideas which provide
a basis for organized political action.
• It is a comprehensive set of beliefs and attitudes about social and economic
institution and processes.
• It offers a critique of an existing system and a view of the ideal system.
• It provides an outline of how political change can and should be brought about
Generally speaking, there are five major political ideologies that people follow:
liberalism (classical and reform), conservatism, socialism, fascism, and
communism.
 Characteristics of Ideology

▪ Ideologies have their levels end in –ism.

▪Ideologies provide an explanation for
problems that confronts modern societies by
providing futuristic vision.
▪ Ideology is action-action oriented
▪ Ideologies mobilize a large number of
people.
Features of Ideology (Heywood, 2012)

▪ It offers an account of the existing order,

usually in the form of a ‘world view’
▪ It advances a model of the desired future, a
vision of the good society.
▪ It explains how political change can and should
be brought about –how to get from the two other
features.
Intellectual Components of an
Ideology
▪ Values
▪ The vision of Ideal Polity (political
organization)
▪ The conception of the Human Nature
▪ The strategy of Action
▪ Political Tactics
 Functions of Ideologies

1. Ideology addresses a basic human psychological need such as safety,

freedom, and community.
2. Ideology provides its believers with a sense of understanding history and
with clues about what kinds of things they should pay attention to or ignore.
3. Ideology is essential, it specifies the means by which the preferred or
desired social order can be achieved.
4. Ideology is powerful, it offers an analysis of the status quo by examining
what works and what does not work, as well as other various issues and
problem that that the state and the broader society are confronted with.
 Societal Role of Ideologies
1. Ideologies answer eternal questions and
cut off competing beliefs and values;
2. Ideologies explain how the universe
works and why it works that way; and
3. Ideologies tell us how to behave; they
help us predict the future.
Political ideologies can be supported or critical of the
status quo, or can be middle ground of the two (left and
right distinctions). They can also be revolutionary or
transformative in terms of goals, or be midway between
the two. In terms of social change, ideologies can be
open or closed to change, or in-between.
These varied positions of ideologies are best
understood when we arrange ideologies in a political
spectrum, that is, whether ideologies are oriented
towards the left or oriented toward the right, or whether
ideologies are liberal or conservative.
 The Political Spectrum

These “isms” fall into a political spectrum and are deemed either left or right wing
 LEFT AND RIGHT DISTINCTIONS OF
IDEOLOGIES

Left Wing:

▪ The more left wing ideology, the more “radical” it is. For
example, left wing politics believes in change and limited
government involvement. A modern left-wing person would
usually support gay marriage, legalization of marijuana, and
universal health care. It’s typically “hippie” However, extreme
left wing ideology usually ends up with a dictator and a highly
controlled society. Examples include both China and Cuba
 Right Wing:

▪ The more right wing an ideology is the more it is

resistant to change. Sometimes this is referred to as
“reactionary” A typical right wing ideology would
believe in strong government control, traditional (and
often religious) beliefs, and some censorship of the
media. Like left wing ideology, and extreme right wing
government almost always has a dictator and a very
restricted society. The best example would be Hitler’s
Nazi Party.
LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE
DISTINCTIONS OF IDEOLOGIES
When plotted in the political spectrum from left to right, anarchism
is located at the farthest left side of the spectrum while fascism is at
the farthest right side. Socialism, liberalism, and conservatism are
found in-between anarchism and fascism, thereby reflecting political
beliefs and positions that are neither as revolutionary as anarchism
nor as reactionary as fascism.

Socialism is oriented toward the far left while conservatism is

oriented toward the far right. Liberalism is found at the center but
not exactly the center of these ideologies.
 Major Political Ideologies

Anarchism
o Society without government, laws, police or other authority.
System of self-control. This ideology argues that everything about
government is repressive and therefore must be abolished entirely.
Absolutism
o System where the rulers have unlimited control. A political theory
that absolute power should be vested in one or more rulers.
Totalitarianism
o Government control of all activities. It is also a
political concept of a mode of government that prohibits
opposition parties, restricts individual opposition to the
state and its claims, and exercise an extremely high
degree of control over public and private life.
Imperialism
o The extension of power and rule beyond established
geographical boundaries. It is a policy or ideology of
extending a nation’s rule over foreign nations, often
military force or by gaining political and economic
control of other areas
Conservatism (Right Wing)
o Governmental system where the existing institution are maintained,
emphasizing free-enterprise and minimal governmental intervention. o
Often linked to the idea of “compassionate conservatism” o Restore
traditional ones, and to limit change o Key ideas: tradition, pragmatism,
human imperfection, organisms, hierarchy, authority, property Liberalism
(Left Wing)

o Liberalism in politics is associated with non-authoritarianism,

the rule of law, constitutional government with limited powers, and the
guarantee of civil and political liberties. o A belief that man is generally
good and that his ability to reason allows him to attain economic, political,
and social progress (Dooley, 2013).
o Liberalism
oLiberalism came from the Age of Enlightenment
as an alternative to the Divine Right of Kings. o
The major thinker of this ideology was John
Locke. o Liberalists believe in economic and
intellectual freedom. This means that it is up to
every individual to create their own future based
on their own work ethic and intelligence.
o Classical Liberalism: this was the original ideology
that believed in very little gov’t involvement.
o Reform Liberalism: this was how classical liberalism
evolved, when, in practice, more gov’t involvement was necessary. o
A liberal society is tolerant of different religious, philosophical, and
ethical doctrines and allows individuals to freely form and express
their conscientious convictions and opinions on all matters and live
according to their chosen purposes and life paths. o In economic
terms, liberalism is associated with an unplanned economy with free
and competitive markets, as well as private ownership and control of
productive resources. o Key ideas: individualism, freedom, reason,
equality, toleration, consent, constitutionalism o Latin word as liberty
– liber, meaning free
Feminism
o Feminist political theory is a diverse
subfield of feminist theory working towards
these main goals: • To understand and
critique the role of gender in how political
theory is conventionally construed. • To re-
frame and re-articulate conventional political
theory in light of feminist issues (especially
gender equality).
Fascism (Extreme Right Wing)

o Fascism is a form of radical right-wing, authoritarian ultra-nationalism

characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition and
strong regimentation of society and of the economy which came to
prominence in early 20th-century Europe. o Comes from the Latin fascis
>>> o This was the symbol of military o Power of ancient Rome. The
ideology was first used by Benito Mussolini but typified by Adolf Hitler.
o Fascism believes in absolute government power (dictator), strong
nationalism, strong military, and citizens as servants to the state (the
“greater good”) o Under a fascist government, there is intellectual equality
and limited economic freedom.
Environmentalism

o It is an ideology which rejects the human-centered core of other

political theories, and emphasizes instead the priorities of the planet
Earth. It sees humanity as only one part of an interrelated web of
life, which incorporates the living planet itself. o Environmentalism
stresses that human economic and political activity has come with an
acceptable ‘price tag’ of an environmental damage and irreparable
harm. o Its concern is about the natural environment and particularly
about reducing environmental degradation that is more of a policy
orientation rather than an ideological stance (Heywood, 2012).
Socialism (Left Wing)
o Socialists are motivated by the desire to improve the quality of life for all
members of society. They believe in political system characterised by strong
state direction in political and economic policy. o Socialism was a reaction
against the stark inequality and misery produced by the Industrial Revolution
and emerging capitalist economies, where those with property had political
voice but those without were open to exploitation and oppression. o Socialism
developed as a reaction to industrial capitalism and became associated with
interests of the growing working classes. It goal was to abolish the capitalist
market economy and replace it with society constructed on the basis of
common ownership. / Everyone should own. o An ideology which opposed
capitalism and tries to provide a more humane and socially valuable substitute.
o Key ideas: community, fraternity, social equality, need, social class, common
ownership
Nationalism

oNationalism is a belief, creed or political ideology

that involves an individual identifying with, or
becoming attached to, one’s nation. o Nationalism
involves national identity, by contrast with the
related contact of patriotism, which involves the
social conditioning and personal behaviors that
support a state’s decisions and actions.
Communism (Far Left Wing)

o Communism grew out of the ideas of Socialism and was made more
extreme, culminating with Joseph Stalin. o Again, it is the abolition of class
and its power struggles, but this time the government (or dictator) has
ultimate say. o Because of this absolute power, intellectual equality
(censorship) is a must, as is economic equality (no one can ever make
money- you are just given the basics) o It is an economic, social, and
political system seeking government ownership of the means production
and services directed by a process of scientific administration and
universal assent (Schrems, 2011). o An extreme left-wing ideology, based
on the revolutionary socialist teachings of Karl Marx, characterized by
collective ownership and a planned economy. Thus, each should work to
their capability and will receive according to their needs.
Religious Fundamentalism
o It is an unusual political ideology. The word
fundamentalism is taken from Latin word fundamental,
meaning base. o Associated with inflexibility,
dogmatism (intolerance), authoritarianism or worst
violence. o Characterized by a rejection of the
distinction between politics and religion (Heywood,
2011) o Key ideas: religion as politics, impulse, anti-
modernism, militancy
Directions: Rearrange the letters to form the target words.

1. LIERALISMB ____________________________________
2. FMEMINIS ____________________________________
3. MMUCONISM ____________________________________
4. CISOALISM ____________________________________
5. ENNTVIRONMELISM ____________________________________
Using the answers above, fill in the blanks below. Write your answer on the space
provided.

1. ________________________ is the struggle to end sexist oppression.

2. ________________________ is an extreme left-wing ideology based on the
revolutionary socialist teachings of Marx.
3. ________________________ concerns about the natural environment and
particularly about reducing environmental degradation.
4. ________________________ viewed as an ideology which opposed capitalism.
5. ________________________ is a belief that man is generally good and that his
ability
to reason allows him to attain economic, political, and social progress
Make it Essay!
Directions: Answer the following questions briefly and
concisely.
1. Why are ideologies important? How do ideologies bring
about social change?
2. What is the role accorded to the state by each political
ideology? Can you see any pattern or trend among the types
of ideologies regarding the role of the state?
3. Which political ideology best describes the nature of
democracy in the Philippines, and why?
THANK YOU AND GOD
BLESS!!!